


Perhaps We'll Meet Another Day

by I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess



Category: One Piece
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, Horror, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-07 04:23:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 27
Words: 122,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8782837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess/pseuds/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess
Summary: There's just a few things Lexi knows for certain nowadays. God is dead or, hell, he never existed to begin with. Physical wounds heal with time. You'll run out of tears eventually. Worst of all, you can't even trust yourself. The unprecedented part of living in this zombie infested world? Remaining sane when the line distinguishing man and monster is blurred beyond interpretation.





	1. Trust

**Part 1**

Her eyes pierced through the dark street, settling on the dangling and decrepit sign of the pharmacy, it's neon long having been used up and the colors fading rapidly with each rain that came down. From behind the overturned and burned-out car on the opposite side of the road, she could spot the large white metal shelves inside the pharmacy, hopefully still full of medicine and other health supplements.

If the city hadn't have been so populated when the outbreak hit them, this wouldn't be so dangerous, she thought, eyes catching movement to the side. Two shambling figures, slow and mindless, meandered their way across the sidewalk. Their ashy gray skin and torn sections of flesh looked even more disgusting and menacing in the dark. Zombies. Even from a distance, their ragged moans carried on the wind, and she winced at the sound. Lexi never could get used to their sounds, the thought of them having once been people still at the back of her mind.

They walked their way across the road, to the right of the pharmacy, until they disappeared behind the buildings on the other side. At least she knew they were there. The silent and unseen ones were the most dangerous. And she could handle just two, idly touching the handle of the hunting knife on her belt. Any more than that and things could get complicated.

Deciding that she'd waited long enough to survey the location, Lexi hoisted up her trusty AR-15 and rose from her cover behind the ruined car. Her boots made only hollow thuds against the ground as she half-walked, half-jogged towards the next available object to hide behind. This car, once a bright red, wasn't burned but scratched all over the sides and doors, crushed beyond use. From this new vantage point closer to the street intersection, she dropped a knee and peered over the wreck.

To her right she could see the two undead from before, still oblivious to her presence. Her gaze swung left. Further down there was a group of four or five more zombies, still quite a ways and of no concern to her if she was quiet enough. Some stood, swaying with the wind, while the rest shambled aimlessly in the street.

Lexi trained her eyes on the drug store entrance, not seeing any significant defensive value in the glass thing. She sighed, reaching for the pack on her back. It was lighter than she would have liked it to be, but that was why she was braving the more dangerous streets of the city to begin with. Having little food or medicine would kill her off far quicker than those mindless husks of what were once human. Unlatching the hooks, she opened the flap, reaching inside to grab her thick padlock, the key dangled on her necklace so she wouldn't lose it.

It seemed she'd have to improvise some sort of barricade once she got inside. She didn't like using her padlock very much, simply because in a tight spot it was very easy to forget about it. Pharmacies usually had large metal shelving units that held the medication. Lexi didn't know how heavy they were, or how loud it would be to move them, but maybe it would work out to use those instead. But all of that was warranted on the door being open. There was no telling what the state of the door or inside would be until she actually got there.

Adjusting her army cap in place, and double-checking her assault rifle, she watched only for a second longer before ducking out from behind the crushed car. Kicking away trash and debris from underfoot, her ear was trained on the two closer zombies, waiting for that distinct wail that they'd picked up her fleshy scent. In this moment, the darkness aided her, shielding her from the diminished sights of the moaning and groaning undead. It also looked like the ones further down hadn't spotted her, for which she breathed a sigh of thanks. Her hurried steps took her straight to the door, grabbing the handle with a quick tug. It stuck.

 _'_ _Dammit.'_  She thought, scowling at the thing and dropping to a crouch on the ground. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. She reevaluated her options.

Looking around, there was a chain-link fence directly next to the pharmacy, maybe blocking off a back-entrance in the alley. It was worth a shot, since she wasn't getting in through the front anytime soon without alerting all the cannibalistic creatures on the street.

Strapping her rifle across her shoulders, she stuffed the padlock in her pocket and grabbed onto the fence, hoisting herself up. The links shook with a soft rattle, but that was enough for the two closer ones to hear, and they groaned loudly. Throwing care to the wind, Lexi scrambled up the fence as quickly as she could, hearing the fast footsteps quickly approaching her. It seemed they had alerted the other group, because she heard load moans further down the street coming closer as well.

Ignoring that paralyzing fear in her heart that she wouldn't be fast enough, she continued to climb, finally reaching the top and swinging her leg around to the other side.

Safely able to look behind her, she watched as the two terrifying monsters ambled along towards her position, and she swung the other leg over the top, clinging to the metal fence as she climbed down the other side.

Once she was down far enough, she let go of the fence and dropped the rest of the way, hitting the ground seconds before the two slammed against the metal fence, clawing through the links to snatch at her. She backed away, catching her breath. Not far behind these two came the other group. They crowded around the other two, groaning, moaning, and snarling at the flesh and meat out of their reach. The chains bent towards her under the piled weight of their bodies, and she feared they would push the whole thing over, or create a hole in the bottom large enough for them to get through.

Staring at the creatures, she pulled on her pair of gloves and zipped up the leather jacket, covering every bit of exposed flesh on her arms as she could. Survivors of the outbreak had found out very quickly that even a tiny scratch from one of the infected could turn you in a matter of hours. It was better to avoid close combat with them in the first place, but firing off her gun in the middle of the infested city was not a good idea.

Lexi pulled out a bandana from her bag, the stench of all those rotting and disgusting bodies sending a wave of nausea through her. No matter how often she came into contact with these things, the smell was the worst, and it seemed to be unique to each one. The usual rot and ruin was there, but whatever they'd before seemed to have an influence on their stink as well. The closest thing she could compare it to was a mix of rotting fish and raw sewage, all mixed together.

Tying the thin fabric around her nose and mouth, she pulled her knife from her hip and slowly approached the fence, keeping her distance from their hands. Then, almost as an afterthought but a good idea, she began cutting off their hands one by one, eliminating the possibility of being grabbed or scratched. They fell to the ground with disgusting thuds, piling up on the opposite side of the fence from them, until all 12 or so hands had been severed from their bodies.

The hungry creatures did nothing but continue to moan, snapping their mouths as if to eat her from this distance. Lexi waited until one of their heads were directly against the fence, before her knife buried itself in it's brain, pulling it back to safety before they could bite through her gloves. Immediately it went limp, the moans coming to a stop. It's handless arms slipped through the links as it fell to the ground, but the others simply stepped over it's fallen body to try to get closer to her.

Lexi waited patiently as she carefully killed each one, always mindful of where her hands were in relation to their mouths. If you didn't take every precaution, one slip up could cost you your life, after all.

Finally, the last moans died away, the zombie slumping to the ground with the other five, and Lexi let out a sigh of relief when all was quiet again.

Pulling away the bandana, she used it to wipe off the blood from her blade, reattaching it to her hip once it was clean. Turning to the back of the small alley, she saw the door set into the brick wall of the building. Approaching it, she turned the knob, smiling when it opened after a little shove of her shoulder.

Pulling her knife once more, she crouching in the doorway, listening for any sign of those rotting things inside. After several seconds of silence, she finally shut the door behind her, dropping to the floor to rummage through her backpack again. She pulled out the flashlight, flicking the switch on and straightened again, pulling the straps back over her shoulders.

Lexi slowly moved the beam through the interior of the place, looking around. The inside looked relatively untouched, having seen more trashed and scavenged places in her travels before. The locked entrance must had deterred many a scavenger in the past. Most of the shelves were empty, so someone had gotten in before, but there were a lot more places to look throughout the building, so she systematically searched each one.

There were a few bottles of tylenol and generic antibiotics that had rolled under the third shelf, and she stuffed those in her pack. An opened bottle of birth control pills had spilled all over the floor and bottom shelf of one of the units, but she ignored that. Her quiet steps took her through aisle after aisle, snatching up all the pills and bandages she could find. Whoever had gone through here before must have left in a hurry, since there was still a lot of supplies left behind.

At the back shelves, it seemed more of the medication had been forgotten or ignored. There were several bottles of cream and ointment, and she took those as well. You never knew what would come up, and she wanted to be prepared for anything. For what she had expected to come away with in this pharmacy, she was pleasantly surprised by the amount of supplies still left there, and her pack was soon feeling a lot heavier than before, a comforting weight.

Her body froze when she heard a thump upstairs. Eyes to the ceiling, she recalled that from the street she could see an apartment or two above the pharmacy. This was probably family-owned then, with the previous owners living above their shop. Another thump above her head, and she automatically placed a hand on her knife, walking carefully through the aisle towards the back of the shop. There was a door with the sign in the middle that said 'Employees Only.' It was the only other door she could see. Getting closer, she saw that it was ajar a few inches, and Lexi's eyes narrowed. Someone was definitely there, whether they be alive or undead had yet to be determined.

Pushing the door open far enough for her to go through, she swung her flashlight at the steps leading up. They were free from debris and clean, except for very obvious muddy boot heading up them. She crouched down, touching the spots with a hand. The mud was dry, crumbling beneath her fingers. Too old to be the person she could hear walking around up there.

Straightening, she heard another thump and decided to investigate. Ascending the stairs quietly, she turned to face the landing up top, seeing two doors set apart in the hallway. They were numbered 1 and 2, and she assumed they were individual apartments. There was another thump, sounding suspiciously like a wooden object, and Lexi pressed her ear to the first apartment door, hearing nothing. Not in there. Swallowing thickly, she kept her flashlight beam close to her, not wanting to attract the attention of whoever was inside the second apartment preemptively.

Reaching the door of the second living space, she could hear the shuffling sound louder inside, of boots against tile and the opening and closing of cabinets. So, it was probably a survivor like her. She felt a bit of joy at the thought of someone else still being alive in this hellish world. Still, the very real threat still remained that the mystery person was hostile, or that she'd be robbed or killed for her supplies.

But, her curiosity won out. Nevertheless, she unslung her assault rifle just in case.

Pushing open the door with the barrel of her gun, she stepped inside carefully. The dark apartment showed no sign of life, litter and trash all over the floor. She remained quiet, though her foot brushed against the corner of the couch as she passed, creating a similar thumping sound.

The person stopped, all noise ceasing. They were in the kitchen by the sound of it, and she moved to circle around towards it, then stopped. Lexi licked her lips, deciding that simply taking the person by surprise would be a bad and possibly fatal idea.

"I know you're there, but I'm not hostile. I was downstairs scavenging and I heard you moving around."

Still, there was no sound from the kitchen. Obviously they didn't quite believe her. Though they had no reason to take her word for it. She'd react the same if the roles were switched. Still, if they hadn't turned the corner and started filling her with bullets already, that was also a good sign.

"We have no reason to trust each other." She said obviously, hoping to get at least  _some_  response from whoever was there. She didn't bother turning the corner to see them herself, they might take it as a hostile action and attack. No, she would let them come out. "I understand that."

She glanced at the floor, then her weapon. Sighing silently, she clicked on the safety of her gun and held her hands out harmlessly. Knowing the other person couldn't see that, she slowly crouched to the ground. "I'm going to put my weapon down." There was a thump as the metal hit the floor gently, and she rose back up, taking a few steps away from her weapon for good measure. "Full disclosure, I have a knife as well, but I'd prefer to keep that."

There was still silence, but finally she heard a scuffle of movement, and the figure stepped out cautiously from their position behind the counter.

It was a man, dressed in an dark blue shirt, and strangely spotted pants, their pattern mimicking that of a white and black hat strapped to his and lean, he held a sword in both hands. Her eyes widened, not expecting that in the slightest. Though, thinking about it, it wasn't such a bad weapon of choice. It gave him a wide range of attack. His hands were tattooed, his gray eyes narrowing as he inspected her hands up, showing to him she was harmless and unarmed. Taking in the gun laying on the ground a few feet from her, he stepped out a little more, though still not lowering his own weapon.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice low. She swallowed again, eyeing the sharp blade of his sword.

"My name's Lexi."

"Are you alone?"

She nodded. "I travel by myself. And I don't have an encampment or company that I go back to, if that's what you mean. Lone wolf, ya know?" She gave a little grin, a sad attempt at humor. He said nothing. inspecting her equipment and the knife on her hip. "Umm…what about you?"

He didn't bother to answer, but the tip of his sword lowered a few inches. It seemed he was beginning to trust her, just a little bit. Or, just thought that she wasn't much of a threat. Then, deciding something, he reached behind him and slid the blade back into its sheath, standing up fully. Lexi lowered her hands, still making sure to keep her right away away from the knife.

"How did you get in here? I watched the entrance for awhile and never saw you enter."

He glanced to the side, and she followed his gaze. There was an open window, with a fire escape landing right outside. Her confusion cleared, and she turned back to him. "The roof?"

He nodded silently.

"What's your name? You know mine but I don't know yours." He seemed to regard her for a moment before responding.

"Law."

"Well, a pleasure to meet you."

They stood in silence after that, neither one quite sure what to do or say next. Lexi glanced down at the floor, where her discarded weapon lay. "Can I pick that back up?" She pointed to the gun, and he simultaneously pulled his sword free again.

She only stared, waiting for some confirmation from him. Finally, seeming to trust her not to go shooting up the place at the very least, he nodded, watching intently as she lowered herself to pick it up. Careful to keep the barrel away from him, she slung it over her shoulder again, holding up her hands in surrender after, just to make sure he knew she intended no harm.

He sighed deeply, returning his own weapon to the sheath on his back. He kept his back away from her but returned to searching the cabinet he'd been working on when she came in.

"I've cleared most of this apartment, so I'll be on my way soon." He commented, inspecting a can of something from within, finally grabbing his bag and stuffing it inside. Lexi nodded, wandering over to the living room and looking around idly. There were a few picture frames of the previous owners. A mother and her children smiling with their faces pressed together. A wedding photo of the same woman, standing in her white dress beside her suit-wearing husband. They looked happy.

"Are you alone, too?" Lexi asked quietly, and Law paused what he was doing to glance at her. It was a long pause, and she almost thought he wouldn't answer. This didn't surprise her, seeing as he was even more untrusting of people than she was. Perhaps that was the smarter idea.

"No." He finally said, tossing away a useless empty can. "I have a small group."

"Have you ever travelled alone before?" She cocked her head, returning her attention to the black-haired man still rummaging through the cabinets. She thought about helping him search but eventually changed her mind, knowing he probably wouldn't be very comfortable with that, seeing as his trust in her was still about as far as he could throw her.

"Yes." He replied gruffly. She smiled, finding his voice pleasant.

"How different is it? Being in a group?" Her voice grew quiet, another glance at the picture frames. He stopped then, staring at her from the corner of his eyes. It seemed as though Law couldn't quite figure her out, but at least he seemed to be relaxing in her presence.

"It's a lot more responsibility." He eventually answered, checking the expiration date on a can of tomato soup. "More to scavenge, more people to feed, and the greater the risk of being spotted by those zombies."

"Those all sound like reasons  _not_  to be in a group." She smiled, crossing her arms. Lexi couldn't quite figure out Law either. So stern and quiet, hesitant to speak, as if saying anything at all could put him in danger. What did he think she'd do? Follow him back to his camp and murder them in their sleep? She pursed her lips, thinking that maybe that was exactly the reason.

"Even if they aren't blood, they're family." He replied, finished searching the cabinet and straightening from his crouch. Lexi nodded, though not entirely able to understand. Obviously those people, whoever they were, meant much to him, whereas Lexi never had that sort of bond with anyone besides her grandmother, and she'd died long before shit hit the fan.

"I see." She said finally, before finding another topic to talk about. "Well, what supplies are you looking for specifically?"

"Medicine, food, water, and blankets are my main priority." He turned to another cabinet, but found nothing. "One's been sick for awhile now." Law sighed sadly, as if he didn't expect the man to survive whatever illness he'd contracted. Lexi perked up, reaching for her bag.

"I found lots of stuff from the pharmacy downstairs. I can't really take it all and it sounds like you need it more than I do."

"Pharmacy?" He asked in confusion. She rummaged in the pack and walked over to the counter. At first he backed away, feeling unsafe with her so close. Then Law's eyes widened, watching as she set a couple bottles of antibiotics on the counter as well as a roll of bandages, a small container of hydrogen peroxide, and surgical tape.

"Oh, that's right. You came from the roof, so you probably didn't know. The bottom floor of this apartment is a drug store, maybe owned by whoever lived here." She shrugged, still searching the contents of her bag.

"I don't get sick very often and I've got more, so you can take these, really." She pushed them closer to him, snapping her backpack shut. Hesitantly, Law picked up one of the antibiotic containers and inspected the label. Then, with one more curious glance at her, he began shoving them into his own pack, a little of his concern edging off of his face.

"Thank you." He finally said, almost a whisper.

"I don't really have food or water to spare, but at least you can cross medicine off your list of stuff to find." She gave a little smile, then shrugged and backed away. It seemed that Law had finished searching this apartment, since he packed up his back and shrugged it back over his shoulder, pulling his sword from his sheath. Lexi stepped away, holding her hands up.

"Hey, you're not gonna rob me or kill me now, right? I've been nice, no need to resort to violence."

She blinked, seeing a small smirk light up his face, and he chuckled.

"While I may not trust you entirely, I'm not going to attack you, Lexi. Unless you give me a reason to. I'm checking the other apartment." With that, he stepped past her and walked out the front door, leaving her to jog behind him.

"Would you like some help?" She offered, standing beside him as they faced the other apartment door. He tried the knob, but it didn't open. He raised a brow.

"It would seem you are going to anyways, whether I want it or not." He stepped back, then brought up his foot and kicked in the door. It swung on its hinge, hitting the inside wall with a bang.

Inside, Lexi and Law saw two zombies, and at the sound of the door they turned and groaned loudly. Law stepped inside, facing the one nearest to him. Lexi was only a moment behind, drawing her knife from her hip and coming face to face with the other. She heard a sharp  _shing_  as his sword sliced the air, the thing's head falling to the floor with a thump.

Lexi's shuffled towards her with it's arms out, making to grab her but she sidestepped it and jabbed her knife in its skull, twisting to destroy the rotting brain inside. Its groan cut off midway, it crumpled to the floor with it's partner, finally lying still.

Wiping her blade on the couch, her gaze wandered over the floor, spotting the small razor blades littering the ground. Frowning, Lexi glanced at the zombies themselves, seeing evident slits in the wrists of the two they had just killed. The carpet beneath her feet was stained a dark red, two separate puddles bleeding into one. It was a sobering scene. She looked up, noticing that Law was watching her with a curious look. "What?" She asked, shrugging. He only shook his head, keeping his weapon drawn as they searched the rest of the rooms.

After several minutes it was evident that the two in the living room had been the only undead occupants, and they quickly put away their weapons. Law immediately went to the kitchen, while Lexi chose to hit the bedroom first.

The first thing she grabbed was the wool blanket crumpled in a ball at the foot of the bed, folding it so it didn't take up so much room. It was soft, and looked like it would be warm. Lexi already had one in her bag, so she'd give this one to Law. Next, her search took her to the closet. The bedroom had obviously belonged to a woman, if the tidiness and dresses hanging on the racks were anything to go by. She curiously looked them over, judging that whoever the woman was, she'd been a party girl. Half the dresses hanging were either skimpy, strapless, or no more than ribbons.

Lexi shook her head, moving onto the dresser. Perhaps there was a shirt or pants that would fit her, preferably a little more modest than the rest of her wardrobe so far. She glanced down at her own outfit, sniffing it with a grimace. It smelled about time for a change of clothes. Rummaging in the drawers, she held up a red, long-sleeved shirt, and some pants that looked likely to fit.

Unstrapping her knife holster and dropping the backpack on the bed, she shrugged out of her dirty, frayed blue shirt. It had lasted her a good month or so, but the edges of the sleeves and the collar were beginning to tear. The new red one was a button up, and she tossed it on. Tugging on the front and sleeves, she nodded, satisfied that it wasn't loose enough for one of the undead to grab on to, but not tight enough to limit movement.

Next she undid her pants and threw on the new ones, checking out how they made her butt look in the standup mirror that occupied one corner of the room. It was more of a habit than anything, but hey. It wasn't a crime to look good while surviving this hellhole. Grabbing another green shirt and pair of jeans to have as extra, she stuffed them in her bag.

She put her equipment back on and continued looking through the room. Under the bed was a pistol, and a box of 20 rounds. The nightstand had a flashlight on the top, and a box of cigarettes. Lexi didn't smoke but she wondered if Law or someone in his group did, so she picked them up. Opening the drawer in the little table, she stopped, staring at a little box it contained.

Glancing behind her, she picked up the box of condoms and shoved them in her bag, deciding that it was better to have them than not to. It was honestly the last thing on her mind nowadays, but…one never knew.

Double checking she hadn't missed anything, she gathered up the blanket and walked back to the kitchen, where Law was inspecting more cans of food and bottles of water. There was quite a few piled up on the counter.

"Wow, doesn't look like anyone's searched here before us." She said appreciatively. "I found these in the bedroom." She held up the blanket, setting it on the counter beside the food with the pack of cigarettes on top. He nodded silently, taking a moment to notice she was no longer wearing the same clothes as before, and she stuck a thumb to the hallway behind her. "I'm gonna check out the bathroom and that should be everything in here."

She turned and headed towards the door she'd seen before, grabbing her flashlight and shining it over the white sink. There was a half-used bottle of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and some mouthwash. Cringing, she picked up the tube of paste and the brush. It was disgusting but she couldn't afford to be particularly picky nowadays.

Above the sink was a medicine cabinet and she opened it, seeing very little in terms of useful supplies. A few empty bottles of prescription meds, a tylenol container with a few more left in it, and some acne cream. Everything but the empty bottles were thrown in her bag.

Giving the tub a routine check, she spotted nothing of use to her, or what she would assume to be useful for Law. Well, there was a bottle of body wash. Maybe he needed that. Grabbing it, she also picked up a roll of toilet paper besides the toilet, standing back up and heading towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Law. Do you need-" She stopped, not spotting him in the kitchen. "Law?" She frowned, looking around the living room but to seeing the man. Confused, she checked the bedroom but found no one. "Hmm." She hummed in disappointment. It seemed he had simply left, taken whatever supplies he needed and gone. It wasn't that surprising, really. He'd seem like the sort of person to just leave.

She returned to the kitchen, setting the body wash and toilet paper down, cocking her head when she saw three cans of food and two bottles of water sitting on the counter. The blanket she'd placed there before was gone, along with most of the supplies Law had been sorting through. Approaching the few left behind, she saw a piece of paper tucked under one of the cans and pulled it free. There was writing on it.

_Take these, as payment for the medicine. Stay safe. -Law_

She smiled, glancing up at the food and water he'd left behind for her. Folding up the note, she hesitated before shoving it in her bag alongside the supplies. A token to the memory of her chance meeting with the mysterious man. Her pack was considerably heavier than before she'd raided the pharmacy downstairs. And, she'd made a rather interesting acquaintance in the process.

Lexi looked through all of the cabinets in the kitchen just to be sure he hadn't left anything else for her. There was nothing, and she packed up her bag, zipping it tight and fastening the clasps. There wasn't much room left, and she felt comfortable to lay low for a day or so, keeping safe until she needed more supplies. Then, she'd begin scavenging again.

Deciding that Law's method of traveling by rooftop was a little safer than risking being spotted on the ground, she made her way back towards the other apartment where the fire escape was.

For as dangerous as it was, the city seemed to still hold a lot of valuable supplies. Lexi decided she'd stick around a while, just to get as much as she could out of it.

And maybe, just maybe, her path would cross with Law's once more.


	2. Respect

Lexi yanked the wood door open, her knife held out at the ready for any sign of zombies. The little cabin was empty, though smears of blood painted one side of the wall. Sighing, she grimaced, putting away her knife as she closed the door behind her with her foot. So much for a clean place to stay the night.

The one-room cabin looked comfortable enough. There was a queen sized bed centered against the back wall, with two nightstands on either side. Each one had a lamp standing atop it, though without any power they were little more than just decoration. Walking further in, she turned and saw a small kitchenette near the door containing a sink and small gas-powered stove. Atop one of the burners was an old pot, and she went over to look inside. Thankfully, there wasn't any rotting or spoiled food on the inside which would have rendered it useless to her.

Unpacking her things and tossing them on the bed, she took out a can of soup and a water bottle, placing them on the small counter beside the stove. Grabbing the pot, she returned to the door and stepped down from the little porch, her boots crunching in the snow underfoot.

Winter had set in early this year, and the countryside had been blanketed in a thick coat of snow the week before. She'd noticed the steady drop in temperature well before the snow fell, and was thankful she'd been able to find a winter coat and sturdy boots in the city.

Lexi made her way to the small lake within sight of the little cabin, thankfully not too long of a walk there. Her breath came out in puffs, and she flexed her fingers inside her gloves. They stung from the cold.

Reaching the edge of the lake, she stooped down and filled the pot halfway with water, sloshing it around to clean out the dust. Repeating the action a few times, just to be sure there wasn't anything dirty inside, she dumped the rest out and began walking back towards the cabin.

The city had proved to be full of useful supplies, but after another month of squatting in abandoned apartments and scavenging what she could, she noticed the zombie activity slowly growing, probably due to her constant moving from place to place in search of stuff. Lexi had decided to move on, right after finding suitable winter clothes of course, during what was then late August.

Now, fully into the freezing snowstorms of October, Lexi had moved on from the city. It wasn't as if she'd planned to stay there very long to begin with. Early on in the outbreak, the government had organized and broadcast the coordinates and locations of several supposed safe houses from the shit storm brewing throughout the country. There were some all over the country, various military bases and government properties transformed into what they called 'a sanctuary for survivors until the outbreak could be contained.'

Sure, that had been almost a year ago, but Lexi was hopeful. Sort of. Her faith was running thin. At some point she hoped to come across one of these secure bunkers. There was supposed to be one not too far to the north, in Ohio. It was her last hope that humanity may be able to recover from the disease that had turned the dead into flesh-eating monsters, it it hadn't been killed off already.

Shaking off her thoughts, she tromped up the steps of the cabin, carrying the now-clean pot, setting it atop the stove with a clank. She poured the contents of the soup can into it, adding a little water so it wouldn't be as thick. Crossing her fingers, she turned the little knob that controlled the gas and waited, smiling when the adjustor clicked before small flames appeared underneath the pot. It seemed the gas line connected to the propane tank outside was still functional, and she let out a breath.

While the soup heated up in the pot, Lexi went over to the bed, taking off her heavy coat and laying it on the bed. The brunette dug a blanket out of the bag, wrapping it around her shoulders with a shiver. The cabin walls didn't exactly keep out the cold from outside, but hopefully the stove would heat the inside a little better after her meal was cooked. Already the lovely scents of the tomato soup were wafting to her nose. She breathed in deeply, her stomach grumbling in anticipation.

Looking down at her clothes, she realized that her shirt was a little dirty from falling in a patch of mud while finding this place. Unbuttoning the top, she shrugged out of the blanket and took it off, revealing the white tank top below. As a second layer of clothing it didn't do much, but it was all she had. Tossing the dirty shirt onto the floor, intent to wash off the mud in the snow later, she rewrapped the blanket around her shoulders and returned to the stove.

She found a stray spoon in one of the counter drawers, wiping it off on a towel before stirring her dinner around, happy to see small bubbles rising at the edges of the pot. She just hoped the propane outside would last long enough to fully cook her dinner.

Lexi's eyes widened, hearing the fast steps of several feet outside. Now, of all times? Just great. She rushed back to the bed where her handgun lay, the safety on. Before she was able to grab it, the cabin door slammed open, several men filing in all armed with large guns.

"Ah, ah! Stop where you are, sweetheart." The one in front said, pointing some sort of shotgun at her chest. Freezing in place, her arm still out to grab the gun, just mere  _inches_  from her fingers being able to brush the handle, she eased up, straightening with the blanket all the while wrapped around her shoulder. At the intimidating men surrounding her, she lifted her hands, the material fluttering to the floor around her feet. With a gulp, she realized that her black bra was easy to see underneath the light colored tank top, and mentally cursed at her stupidity. She'd gotten too comfortable.

"No sudden movements, now." The one who had spoken grinned wickedly, keeping his weapon trained on her, slowly walking through the cabin. His men, a blonde with a crooked nose and a nondescript redhead, fanned out on either side, brandishing various guns of their own. Her eyes followed them, standing still just in case. "Didn't your mommy ever tell you to share with others?" He chuckled darkly, still coming closer to her.

"Well, as you can see I wasn't exactly expecting company." She replied bitterly, glancing towards the food still cooking on the stove. The man, sporting a thick fur coat and black leather biker gloves, turned to inspect the stove.

"Aye, it's a shame. Doesn't look like that'll feed too many of us here." His beady black eyes swung around back to hers. "But you seem like the kind of gal that'll be generous enough to let us have it. Hmm? After all, we are your guests." She stared at his nasty face, the mustache no more than greasy tufts of black hair above his upper lip. It wasn't too attractive.

"We've haven't had a bite to eat since last week." One of the other goons supplied, shifting back and forth on his feet and handling that gun a little too eagerly for Lexi's liking. She took in their collectively well-muscled and pudgy physiques, showing her doubt through a raised brow. They didn't seem to care whether she believed them or not, since none of them looked rather concerned about her in the first place.

Lexi's eyes glanced around the room, trying to come up with a way out of this situation, preferably  _not_  getting killed. All that came to mind was the window on her right, but by the time she even ran over to it they'd just shoot her in the back. Scowling, she cursed under her breath. There didn't appear to be a solution to her little predicament.

"Why don't we just kill her, boss? She's got a lot of stuff in that bag over there." The other one quipped, pointing over to the bed where her pack lay open. The blonde one fidgeted with his gun and licked his lips in anticipation, as if he'd eat her himself. Her nose crumpled at the thought. The boss tilted his head, looking at her stuff and smiled.

"That's not a bad idea. But, she's a nice looking thing. Might be worth something alive, too." His beady eyes leered at her thin top, no doubt taking in the softer black material visible underneath.

Lexi watched as several other people approached silently from behind them, holding guns of their own. Her first instinct would be to widen her eyes, or say something, but she didn't want to alert the men currently holding her up. They closed the distance behind the mystery men, raising their guns.

"Drop the weapons." A gruff, yet strangely familiar, voice demanded, chambering a round in his rifle, aimed straight at the back of the boss's head.

The two not-so-smart ones turned, dropping their weapons to the ground in fright as they stared down the business end of much bigger guns, carried by two men wearing hats. One said Penguin on the top, the other was a plain blue.

The boss froze, but kept his shotgun trained on her. Lexi tried to identify the one with the rifle but couldn't see their face from behind the ugly man's bigger profile.

The boss glared at her, then she saw a spark of defiance in his black eyes, and he swung back to shoot his ambushers. A part of him must not have believed they would shoot, but that mistake would prove fatal. Lexi dropped to the ground, covering her head with her hands as a loud shot rang out, and blood splattered all over the floor before her.

His head now sporting a sizable whole where his brain should have been, the man's body crumpled to the floor, his weapon dropping limply from his hands in a pool of his own blood. The other two grunts screamed in fright, staring down at the body of their leader. Lexi heard the cock of another weapon, probably one of the hatted men.

"Take off your packs." The voice said. Shivering, the men did as they were told. Lexi felt two thuds on the floor.

"Leave, and take him with you." The gruff voice from before said. The other two thugs whimpered, hesitating only another second before grabbing an arm each and dragging the body out of the cabin, a smear of blood in their wake.

Lexi glanced up, not altogether sure of what her fate would be. Her circumstantial saviors could simply mean to kill her now, intent to take this cabin as their own to stay in for the night. At first she didn't recognize the man, his clothes different than the first time they'd met. But her eyes widened in shock when she laid eyes on a familiar face.

"Law?" She questioned, standing hesitantly. Surprised at the use of his name, he narrowed his eyes. He seemed to realize who she was after a moment of confusion, one brow raised. It had been a few months since she'd last seen him, but to come across him once more was a true surprise.

His sword from before was still strapped on his back, the rifle still in his hands. He didn't lower it.

"Lexi, wasn't it?" He said softly, a tiny smirk of amusement settling his features. She couldn't help but smile, even still fearful of his intentions.

"Yeah. I'm damn lucky you guys came along." She breathed out. Still, her eyes didn't leave the rifle still held up in his arms. Whatever respect that had been established upon their first meeting, despite the admittedly fragile trust they'd come to share, could mean nothing to him. She simply didn't know. It took a moment of thought before the sound of bubbling gained her attention. With a start, she rushed over. "Shit, the soup."

Ignoring the others for the moment and grabbing the spoon from the counter, she stirred the contents, hoping it hadn't stuck to the bottom. Luckily, none of it had hardened to the metal container and she turned down the heat.

"You know her?" The one with the Penguin hat asked, turning to their apparent leader.

"We met once. She isn't hostile." He nodded, finally easing the rifle up. Then, his gaze shifted to her, narrowing a little. "So far as I know." He placed the gun against the corner, straightening up and gesturing for the others to do the same.

The two shared a glance and shrugged, stacking their guns against Law's with a sigh. Lexi watched them become comfortable in the living space, somehow still able to feel at home despite the splattering of blood and brains all over the floor. Feeling a pang of disappointment as she realized she probably wouldn't be staying her tonight, she sighed. Though, that was if Law still intended to stay here, knowing she'd claimed it first. The chance that he'd simply move on, looking for other shelter, was immensely low. Any leader would put the needs of his own group above that of a lone stranger, she was sure. Besides, he did save her life. Lexi supposed that had to account for something.

"Well, I know it isn't much, but contrary to what that guy believed, I don't mind sharing my dinner. You guys did save my life, after all." She gestured to the pot of soup, gaining all of their attentions. The others looked rather excited at the prospect of a hot meal, but turned to Law, waiting for his decision.

"We would appreciate it." He finally said, nodding slowly. Giving a little smile, she turned and tended to the soup, finally satisfied with how hot it had become. Turning off the stove, she grabbed the pot by the handle and walked over to the middle of the floor, where Law's friends began wiping up the blood with rags from their packs.

"There aren't any chairs, so it looks like we'll have to eat on the floor." She shrugged, also holding up the spoon. "And this was the only one I found, so we'll have to share."

The others didn't seem to care, so she waited until the boys had cleared away most of the blood and guts, sitting in a small circle on the floor. Deciding that they looked a little hungrier than her, Lexi passed the pot to the one with the Penguin hat first, smiling as he took the offered food.

"This smells great, thanks." He grinned, taking a few slurps of the contents.

"When did you find this cabin?" Law asked suddenly.

"Not even an hour ago, actually. Those guys must have been following me." She grinned. "And I guess you were following them?"

"They led a whole group of zombies to our camp in the middle of the night! Destroyed half of our stuff, and we had to abandon the rest." The man wearing sunglasses grumped, adjusting his hat. "We went back later to see if we could salvage anything but it was all gone. Those bastards took everything."

"Well, at least you can get it all back, right?" She gestured to the two forgotten packs in the corner, and Law glanced at them. They looked full and heavy, and she wondered just how well-off this little group of men actually was.

"Hopefully." Law replied, inspecting the bags critically. "It's been several days, and who knows what they've used or thrown away since then."

"Hmm." She turned back to his two companions. "Well, I know Law's name, but what are yours?"

"I'm Penguin." One said. He passed the pot over to his friend with the sunglasses, who accepted the food eagerly.

"Shachi."

"Well, I'm Lexi." She smiled, nodding to the two. They gave a grin back, and she looked back towards Law. He narrowed his eyes, watching the exchange. She perked up, thinking of something.

"Oh, did that person who was sick get better? Did they survive?"

Penguin perked up, tilted his head. "Sick? You mean me?" Lexi turned to look at him, seeing the downturned corners of his lips. It seemed he was a bit confused. "I had a pretty shitty virus awhile back, but how'd you know that?"

Lexi opened her mouth to respond, but Law beat her to it. "Lexi was the one who gave me the medication." Penguin's confusion seemed to clear, and he grinned.

"Eh? Really, it was you? Well, I guess I've gotta thank you for that too. If it hadn't have been for those antibiotics, I would've probably been a goner."

"Well, I'm just glad I was able to help. God knows we have to do everything we can to survive nowadays. It's getting tougher." She muttered, looking away with a blush.

Truth be told, she hadn't expected giving him the medicine to work much. Sure, she still wanted to help Law out back then, but with the way things were now, realistically she expected it to be nothing more than a kind gesture. Her delight at seeing a fully recovered Penguin made that day those few months ago well worth it.

And, she hadn't expected a thank you for it, but that was appreciated too.

The pot made its way to Law now, and he accepted it without a word. Lexi couldn't see the remaining contents, and part of her worried that there wouldn't be much left at all. There was still the opportunity for Law's group to simply rob her blind, after eating her dinner and feigning trust. A part of her didn't believe they'd go that low, but one never knew.

"So, where are you from?" Shachi asked, leaning back against the front of the bed to get more comfortable. Lexi turned to him with a smile.

"West Virginia, a little town called Bakersville. It's above 100 miles south of here."

"Well, how'd you end up all the way up here?" Penguin asked next.

She settled back into the kitchen counter behind her, drawing her knees loosely to her chest. She shrugged. "Well, even though a small town isn't that populated, there aren't many supplies there either. After awhile finding food became a bit more difficult, so I started moving north. There were a few other towns nearby, and I stayed there for awhile, then when things got tougher, I'd keep going.

"By the path I've taken so far, if I keep going, eventually I'll end up at the air force base in Ohio. It's the closest safe zone that I know of."

She saw Penguin and Shachi exchange a look, and Law's eyes had narrowed. Raising a brow, she crossed her arms in front of her legs. "What?"

Law shook his head a moment. "What makes you think the place is even still operational?"

"It's been over a year, Lexi…" Shachi admitted, but she shook her head with a sigh.

"I understand that. I know I'm being too optimistic about it. But if we're gonna survive all of this, mankind I mean, then I've gotta believe in something. And right now, I'm holding out hope that someone somewhere is starting to get things put back together."

No one really knew how to respond to her reasoning, simply because they didn't want to crush her already-wavering hopes. An awkward silence blanketed the room, interrupted only by the clank of the spoon hitting the edge of the pot, and Law passing it to her. Not looking at any of them, she took the offered food and peered inside. Raising a brow, she was surprised to see a lot still left over, more so than she would have expected, considering three other people had already eaten from it.

Had they intentionally eaten less to leave her more?

Frowning guiltily into the pot, she glanced up at the others, who were preparing to stand up and move to the two packs on the floor.

"A-are you sure you guys ate your fill? There's still quite a bit left." Shachi turned and gave her a grin.

"It's alright, Lexi. It was your food to begin with anyways. We'll be fine."

Silenced by his reassurance, her eyes returned to the food. Her stomach grumbled its agreement, and she reluctantly began sipping away at the still-hot contents. Her food supplies were running a little low, so she'd been rationing out most of her cans. Not to mention having it heated by a stove made it taste leagues better than when it was cold. Her hunger and the heat getting the better of her, she scarfed down the remaining soup in a matter of minutes.

Once it was empty, she glanced over to the three, watching them pulling various supplies out of the packs, no doubt taking inventory of everything that had been stolen from them.

Lexi stood and turned to the sink, placing the pot inside. "Is everything still there?" She asked over her shoulder. Not wanting to waste precious water, she decided that cleaning the dishes would have to be done with snow from outside instead of her remaining water bottles.

"I believe so." Law commented, still placing flashlights and other oddities onto the floor in an organized manner. "Unfortunately, it looks like they helped themselves to our food supply. Thankfully not all of it." He pulled out a few cans of food, but only a few. He was right, they were running dangerously low, just as Lexi was.

Them going through the packs on the floor reminded of her own still sitting on the bed, zipped open from when she'd looked through it before those thugs tried robbing her. With a small sigh, she realized that now would probably be the time to leave. They'd had their meal, and there were no other signs of danger. It would be best to leave sooner rather than later, so she would have light to search for another shelter.

While the others were distracted by their stuff, Lexi made sure to gather her things, throwing on her heavy jacket and zipping the bag up. With a small sigh, she shrugged it over her shoulders. Leaving the safety on, Lexi slipped the handgun behind her belt. She missed the familiar weight of her AR-15, but it had jammed awhile back and she had been in too precarious a situation to retrieve it. She'd had to leave it in that warehouse, which in the end had proved to be a waste of time. Scavengers had emptied it before she'd checked it out.

Double checking that she hadn't forgotten anything, she started towards the door. She was able to turn the handle without attracting attention, and she slipped back out into the snow. She made it several steps before Law's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Leaving without a goodbye?" She turned, seeing the slight suspicion in his eyes, offset by the teasing smirk. He had his arms crossed, watching her curiously. Turning, she gave him a little smile in return.

"Well,  _you_  can't really say anything about that, considering our first meeting." She teased, referring to his disappearance act in the apartment months ago, leaving only a note in his wake. Which she still had in her pack.

"Fair point." He nodded after thinking about it for a moment, leaning against the railing on the wooden steps. "Regardless, night will fall in less than an hour. Where do you expect to go?"

She shrugged, looking out over the snowy landscape and the lake further down. "Not quite sure. But if there's one cabin, there's gotta be more, right?"

He raised a brow but didn't respond. She sighed, adjusting the strap on her shoulder awkwardly.

"You gotta do what's best for your group, I get that. And it wouldn't sit right with me if I kicked you guys out in the cold, especially after you guys saved my life. So, I thought I'd make things easier and just sort of…disappear. What's that saying? 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,' isn't it?"

Law sighed again, glancing towards the interior of the cabin, where Shachi and Penguin were probably still looking through the stuff. "Have you considered the possibility of us sharing the cabin with you? Surely you don't think we would have demanded you leave?"

Lexi looked at Law with a knowing stare. She could see he was reluctantly, and indirectly, extending the offer for both groups to spend the night together. Just from his closed-off posture and uncertain expression, she could see he was only asking because he might have felt obligated too. Her kindness had inadvertently put his in a tough spot. He was the sort of person who didn't want to feel indebted to anyone. Lexi would have felt the same, she supposed, if she were in his shoes. Still, the fact that he'd stopped her to offer was a nice gesture, regardless of its sincerity, and she certainly did appreciate it.

"We both know you don't trust me that much yet." She answered quietly, chuckling a little. Neither confirming nor denying her accusation, he merely watched her, wondering what her decision would be. With another small smile and a wave, she turned and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Maybe next time." She called over her shoulder, trekking through the snow in her thick boots. It was much darker now than it was when she'd first found the cabin, and her claim that another had to be nearby was simply conjecture. She truly hoped it was possible, but she had a feeling she'd be spending her evening in a tree. There didn't appear to be any other means of shelter from the elements. As long as it didn't rain, she was sure she'd be fine. Hopefully.

* * *

Law watched the woman leave, intrigued by her unique character. Never had he met someone so willing to give up what she had for others, expecting nothing in return. That had been evident when she'd given him the medication, but sharing her food and her resting place that evening was a step further.

People didn't survive like that. Not in this world. At least, he'd always believed so, until he met her. By all accounts, Law believed that someone like that should have been dead long ago. How she'd managed to come this far was a mystery. How could she trust others so easily?

A part of him felt bad, seeing her wander away into the growing darkness, instead of demanding she remain inside the cabin where it was safer. But he hadn't survived this long with his friends by being overly kind. He could name more than one occasion where trusting another person would have gotten them killed. In his perspective, trust was something that had to be earned. And as cruel as it made him sound, Lexi hadn't quite earned it yet.

His respect, however, was another thing.

He also wondered if she truly believed there'd be a next time. Did she honestly think they'd ever meet again? Tonight had been an unlikely coincidence in and of itself. But to see her another time yet again? He highly doubted it.

Strangely, a part of him hoped he was wrong.

After several minutes, she'd faded away from his sight, and Law returned to the interior of the cabin, shutting and locking the door behind him. He approached the packs and his two friends, seeing the damage on their previous supplies. They both looked to him expectantly, and he already knew what they were going to ask before they did.

"Where's Lexi?"

"She left." His response was not what they wanted to hear, obviously, as the two stood and tried finding her through the window.

"Is she crazy? It's almost dark in the middle of winter!"

"We have to tell her to come back. She'll freeze out there." They made to open the door, but Law stopped them.

"Leave her be. She'd long gone by now anyways."

"But-"

Law sighed, knowing that he would have to explain a little before they were satisfied. "Lexi is a lone wolf type of person. She's used to traveling alone, and she's survived this long on her own."

The two paused, their dejected expression not quite gone yet. "I suppose but-"

Law crossed his arms sternly. "Besides, just because someone feeds you doesn't mean you should trust them with your life."

They said nothing, staring at the floor begrudgingly. Their leader was right, of course, but Lexi had been nice. And they liked her. It felt wrong just to let her wander off into the snow as night approached them.

"I just hope she'll be ok." Penguin muttered, moving to put away their stuff back into the bags. Shachi nodded silently, joining in helping. Law watched them, deciding to inspect the cabin for himself.

He picked up the blanket on the floor, which had a copious amount of blood from the man she'd shot earlier. It was practically unusable now, and he tossed it into the corner. He saw a scrap of fabric on the floor, seemingly out of place. Raising a brow, he stooped to pick it up, holding it out to see what it was.

A woman's shirt.

Bloodstains marked the green material, and he could still feel the last vestiges of Lexi's body heat from the inside. It was ripped on the right sleeve, but other than that it was in relatively good condition.

Crumpling it up, he made to toss it with the ruined blanket, but hesitated. Law conveniently ignored that strange feeling in his gut as he stuffed it into his own pack, acting as if nothing happened. Shachi and Penguin didn't notice him taking the garment. Nor would he explain why he had it when they eventually discovered it.


	3. Guilt

Law sat with his back to house, his rifle in hand and loaded, ready for any sign of danger. Their little group had managed to find a small town along the road they were traveling. It wasn't large by any means, in fact it bordered more on the edge of a modern village than a town, really. But it had a local grocery store and other buildings lining the main street, with individual houses branching off on separate roads, so it would make do for the time being.

"Do we really need to keep a watch, Law?" Shachi asked, poking his head out of one of the bedroom windows, wearing a different set of clothes than before. "We haven't seen anyone around for awhile, and the zombies seem to be pretty calm around here."

"Better to be safe than sorry." He glanced over at his friend, who shrugged and returned back into the inside of the house to find a book or something else to occupy his time with. Penguin was already there as well, which left Law alone on the roof to watch the zombie shamble by in the streets aimlessly down below. He gathered his jacket tighter around himself. Even though winter was quickly turning into spring, the nights and mornings could still get rather cold.

Shachi was right. The zombies around here seemed less aggressive. He'd noticed that they all seemed to be unique to the regions in which they resided, which was very strange. Law had no way of explaining the occurrence, or even why it happened, but he did notice it. They seemed to retain a small inkling of their original personality. But only minutely.

They were holed up in one of the small houses lining the side streets of the town. The structures weren't built defensively, that was for sure, and they'd had to barricade a few of the weaker entryways into the house before deciding to sleep there. Law even had Shachi and Penguin hang up makeshift curtains to block the light from inside giving away their location to the zombies.

The small group of zombies that had chased them towards the house had dispersed, losing interest after they didn't hear or smell anything for awhile. They wandered off, probably forgetting that there'd even been people around to begin with. He noticed that they were only really dangerous once they sensed you, and were in pursuit. Get out of their sight and range of smell, and they quickly backed off.

A few of the zombies in the street below turned towards the end of the street, and they sniffed the air. Law frowned, noticing the sudden shift in activity. The few that sensed a change in the are began to walk towards where they sensed it, their soft groans punctuating every few shuffling steps. One didn't even have legs, but it dragged itself over the gravel street by its arms towards whatever had caught its attention.

Law tried to see what was causing the zombies to act up, but the fading light made it difficult to discern anything. While his vantage point gave him the best view of the street, he could only see so far down either direction. Whatever was causing the zombies to act up was out of his field of view.

Down at the end of the street were quick flashes of light accompanied by a series of loud pops. Every muscle tensed up, and he held his rifle ready for any sign of danger. The remaining zombies close to the house they were in turned towards the street, wandering to whatever the source of the noise was.

Law waited, wondering what was going on and who was in the town with them. About a week back, they'd seen a group of men and women from a distance, but never made themselves known. Perhaps it was them, though he didn't believe in coincidences, and wondered if they had been followed.

The noises and flashes of light soon ceased, but the zombies continued to wander in that general direction. They groaned and growled, dragging themselves past where Law could see. But something moving closer towards him caught his eye, and he swiveled his head to where it had been.

Another movement further left, and this time he was able to catch a flash of someone running behind the houses on the opposite side of the street. Law clicked off the safety of the rifle, looking ahead to see where they would appear next.

The person ran between two more houses, passing the house that Law and his friends were staying in, and further up the road. He didn't see another glimpse of whoever they were for awhile, and it took a moment for him to realize that they were either waiting behind the house he had seen them duck behind, or they had entered it from the back. There was a soft crack in that direction, and he figured they had opened a window or something similar to enter.

He was caught in a dilemma. Should he go after whoever it was and make sure they couldn't put his group in danger? Did the person even know they were there? What had been the flashes or light at the end of the street? Whoever they were had certainly done a good job of clearing the area of zombies. All of them had wandered towards the direction they had come from.

Still. Law didn't like not knowing who this stranger was and what their intentions were. It left too much up to chance, and he hated taking chances. Narrowing his eyes at the house he was sure they had hid inside, he brought up the rifle and peered through the scope at the darkened windows. The inside was black, and he couldn't see any movement from within.

His waiting paid off. What looked like a flashlight beam swept across the windows for a brief second, illuminating the glass and then disappearing once more. So, they were definitely inside.

Making a decision, Law sat up and made his way to the open window where he'd climbed onto the roof from. He jumped back inside the guest bedroom and shut the window behind him.

Heading downstairs, Shachi and Penguin seemed to catch on that something was up. "Hey, did something happen?"

"There's someone in the house further down the street from us." He explained, and his two friends stood up from the couch where they were playing a game of cards.

"Who is it?"

Law shrugged, shoulder his rifle and going into the kitchen. "I don't know. They were fast, but it looked to only be one person." Law opened the drawers until he found the knives. Selecting one that was a good size and sharpened, he tucked it into his belt and closed the drawer. "I'm going to check it out and see if they are dangerous."

"We'll go with you." Penguin offered, preparing to stand, but Law held up his hand to stop him.

"It'll be faster and safer if I go alone. And I don't want whoever they are to know that we are here. Having three people there will be too much noise." He reasoned. Even though they didn't like it, Shachi and Penguin nodded. Law was the leader for a reason, and what he said rang true. They'd survived this long based on Law's instincts, so there was no reason to question them now.

"Alright, but if you're not back in ten fifteen minutes, we're coming to look for you." Shachi argued, and Law reluctantly nodded agreement. He couldn't do anything about it even if he were to tell them no, so there was no use in protesting.

"It's the red brick house two down on the left, with white porch steps." He supplied, moving to the back door to exit the house. Even though the zombies had moved further down the street, he didn't want to be taken by surprise by any that had lagged behind.

Closing the back door behind him, he moved around to the side of the house where a gate sat locked. He unlatched the lock, cracking it open to peer out into the street as quietly as he could manage. There were no zombies in sight, so he slipped out from the backyard and made sure to lock it behind him, in case a few returned later.

Taking a position on the side of the house, he peered around the corner down the street, where he could see a large gathering of zombies far away. They weren't a threat to him at the moment. The other end of the street was clear as well, so he jogged to the other side of the street, ducking behind the house across from theirs and stopped, waiting for any indication that someone had spotted him. There was nothing.

Taking the same route the stranger had to reach the red brick house, he crouched behind the fence, seeing a hole that they had probably crawled through to get inside. Making sure to keep his gun in his hands, Law stooped to make his way under the hole, and remained crouched as he entered the back yard. There was no light coming from the windows he could see, but that didn't mean he was being watched.

Jogging to the edge of the house, he knelt beneath the window, too low to be seen through the glass. He paused and listened, trying to hear any sound on the inside. There were a few bumps and thumps, but they sounded distant, perhaps on an upper floor.

Eyeing the back door, he debated whether he should leave now, and remain unseen by whoever was inside, or make sure they weren't a threat to his men by either killing the occupant or at the very least threatening them. From his position here, Law still had no idea if they were friendly or not, and figured either way he'd have to go inside.

He sighed resignedly. So much for keeping themselves to themselves.

Idly, he remembered then that he'd left his sword at the house, and cursed himself. All he had in terms of close combat weaponry was a kitchen knife. Oh well, no turning back now.

Shuffling to the door, he gripped the knob tightly and slowly turned it. The door opened without a sound, and he wielded the knife as he entered the darkened kitchen it lead to. His boots made only the softest of sounds as he gently eased into every step, making sure not to alert whoever was inside to his presence quite yet.

Law glided into the next room, a living room, and scanned the darkness intently. No sign of anyone, though he did spot a few muddy boot prints on the wooden floors. Narrowing his eyes, he saw a staircase leading to the second floor, and then heard another thump somewhere above. Normally, he'd check all the rooms on the first floor before going to the second, just to make sure nothing could surprise him from behind, but he knew that this person was alone, and so set forward towards the stairs next.

He kept up his technique of concentrating on every footfall he placed onto the wooden stairs. Luckily, the house seemed to be fairly new, and the wood didn't creak under his weight. In no time, he'd made it halfway up. Rifle still at the ready, he began to ascend the second half.

The noise upstairs had stopped, and he stopped as well, waiting for signs that he'd been heard. There was nothing. Narrowing his eyes, he shifted his grip on the rifle. He was effectively stuck in the middle of the stairs. He couldn't be positive whether whoever was there knew he was following them.

 _Dammit._  He thought, gritting his teeth. He'd have to make a choice. Taking a silent breath, Law started up the stairs again, putting extra care into making sure no noise could be heard from his feet.

Law made it to the top, where there was carpet beneath his feet, thankfully. It was a strange house design. Feeling more confident now that his steps were muted by the thick fibers beneath his feet, he held up the rifled and entered the first room he came across on the left.

It was a bedroom, but no one was inside. It appeared that the stranger had already ransacked it, as some of the drawers were open or empty. Law circled the bed on all sides he could, just to be sure no one was hiding. Satisfied that the room was empty, he went to search the next one.

Another bedroom. It looks searched as well. A quick check revealed that it was also empty. He moved onto the next room, the door open, and stepped through, always wary of what was in front of him.

He stepped past the doorway, eyes scanning the room, but there was nothing.

The click of a gun being cocked made him freeze, and he felt something cold press against the back of his head.

"Kneel on the ground, and put down the rifle." A female voice demanded. He stood unmoving, debating whether he could take on the woman behind him if he acted fast enough. Whatever weapon she had aimed at his head was small, by the size of the barrel being pushed into his scalp. Still, he was caught in a dangerous situation.

 _Where did she even come from?_  He questioned himself, swearing that he'd checked all the rooms behind him. His eyes flicked back and forth at the room in front of him, trying to find a way out.

"I won't repeat myself." She added, pressing the gun a little harder into the back of his head. Law figured that if the woman behind him was intent on killing him where he stood, she'd have done it already. Still, if prompted, he was sure she wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. And he wasn't confident his reflexes were  _that_ fast, if he were being honest. What a predicament. Sighing, he clicked on the safety of the rifle, slowly dropping to his knees on the carpet floor.

"Put the gun on the ground, and push it away."

Whoever she was obviously wasn't taking chances. Smart on her part. Doing as she said, Law placed the gun onto the floor and shoved it out of his reach. He held up his hands to show he was unarmed, well, accept for the knife in his belt, but it seemed she had already noticed that.

The gun still against his head, he reached down and slipped the blade out of the loop, stripping him of his last weapon. When she didn't see any other weapons on his person, she spoke again. "Stand up and turn towards me."

Hands still up above his head, he climbed to his feet, taking his time to turn in place to face her. The first thing he noticed was the barrel of the pistol still aimed at his head.

The second, was that he recognized her face.

"Lexi?" He quirked a brow, frowning deeply. She hesitated, lowering the gun just a fraction. But she immediately brought it back up.

"Law?" Her confusion was instantly replaced with suspicion, and she took a small step back, just in case. "Why are you here? Have you been following me?"

Law's own frustration returned, and he dropped his hands. "I should be asking you the same question."

"What?  _You_  were the second one to come to this house, therefore, you were the one doing the following." She still didn't lower the gun, a fact he took note of.

"My group is taking shelter in a house further down the street. We arrived before you. So,  _you_  were the one following, intentionally or not." He explained. "I saw you run behind the houses and had to be sure you weren't a danger to my friends."

"Have I ever been hostile to you and your friends?" She asked critically, feeling a bit insulted that he still held not even an ounce of trust in her. He scoffed, crossing his arms.

"I didn't know it was you. And even if I did, one can never be sure."

Lexi sighed, rubbing at her temple. She seemed at a loss for what to do, but he gave a glance at the pistol still pointed at his head. "Are you going to put that down?"

Sending him a withering glance, she blinked. "Can I trust you?"

"Yes." He replied, and she quirked an eyebrow.

" _Should_  I trust you?" At that, he shrugged.

"Probably not."

Law watched her eyes, seeing the internal struggle of what to do. He was positive she wouldn't kill him, or injure him, or rob him. From the two times they'd met before, she didn't seem like that type of person. Besides, she was now aware that killing him would mean Shachi and Penguin would be after her for revenge.

After a while she closed her eyes, looking much more exhausted than when she'd first stopped him. Shaking her head, she lowered the gun, putting the safety on and reattaching it to her belt. Law relaxed, no longer worried that she posed a threat to him.

"How'd you sneak up behind me?" He wondered aloud, and she tapped her hand against the door.

"Hid behind it." Raising a brow, he thought back to his other question.

"And the noises and lights at the end of the street?" She smiled a little then, reaching around to grab something from her backpack.

"Fireworks." She responded, holding out the pack of dozens of firecrackers that she'd used to create her little show. "The zombies respond very well to light and noise. I found these babies in a grocery store last week. They make excellent diversions for when I need to escape or get by places."

"Hmm." He hummed, taking note of her observations. He ran out of things to ask, and she wasn't exactly in the most talkative of moods. She placed the fireworks back in her back and that neutral expression from before returned to her face.

"Why are you here?" She questioned in a quiet voice. He noticed she kept rubbing at her eyes, probably from lack of sleep. His medically inclined gaze picked up on the smallest details.

"Like I said, I couldn't be sure who you were, so I had to make sure you weren't a threat to the others." Law went to pick up his rifle, eyeing Lexi cautiously as he did so. She didn't seem concerned, only watching him pick it up with those bags under her eyes. He frowned. She was in worse shape than he thought.

"Well, I'm not." She said in reply to his reasoning. "So you can go back to your group now." With that, she turned and entered the other room that Law hadn't checked. He followed after her, watching as she emptied the last of a drawer out. Her bag didn't look very full, a testament to her physical condition as well.

"You look awful." He commented, leaning against the doorframe. His words were met with an unamused stare.

"Thanks." She said sarcastically, finishing stuffing the blankets into her bag. "The zombie apocalypse really does wonders for my complexion."

Law scoffed, unimpressed with her attempts at humor. The man shook his head, crossing his arms. "When's the last time you ate? Or slept properly."

She shrugged, scowling at him angrily. "I started getting low on food and water a few days ago, so I've had to ration. There's not much I can do about that, so what's with all the questions?"

Law raised a brow, wondering where all this aggression was coming from. It almost seemed like a completely different person. She almost could be, with the amount of weight she'd lost since he'd last seen her. She was much skinnier, her face losing some of its tone, her skin taking on a ghostly-white pallor.

He also didn't miss her lack of an answer for his second question, and wondered if she simply forgot or intentionally avoided it.

Noticing his silence, she sighed, rubbing at her eyes again. "Sorry…" She muttered, swaying away from him and back towards the hallway. "You didn't deserve that."

She began to descend the stairs and he followed, trying to come up with a response. At least she was aware of her blatant bitchiness, though he couldn't really fault her. After months of surviving, even Law had to admit it was getting harder for him to resist snapping at Shachi and Penguin every once in awhile. They reached the bottom of the steps and she made her way towards the darkened kitchen, shrugging her pack onto the counter.

"You won't survive much longer in that condition." He noted softly, making her pause in unzipping the bag. She wouldn't look him in the eyes. Law wasn't one to mince words, and he knew this could sometimes frustrate others, but there was no easy way to put it. In her state, she'd sooner pass out while out on a supply run, just to be eaten by those monsters.

"I know." Was her quiet response.

They stood in another thick silence, with Lexi sorting through the stuff she'd found and Law simply watching. He couldn't quite figure her out. The first few times he'd met her, she'd been so full of spirit, so ready to take on the world and survive.

This woman, this utterly defeated and exhausted woman, was not the Lexi he knew of. This one…something had changed between those months ago and now. And Law was always a curious person.

"You've changed." He stated, but she didn't bother responding. "What happened?"

She was quiet for a long time. Several minutes perhaps. So long, in fact that Law thought she was simply pretending not to hear him. Frowning, he was about to say something, but noticed that she'd stopped taking things out of her back, her hand gripped tightly around a shirt she'd stuffed inside.

She was shaking.

"Lexi-" He started, reaching out a hand to steady her, but her voice made him stop.

"I came across this woman and her little girl, a couple months back. They had supplies, but they weren't good at surviving. I offered to protect them until we reached the next town, and in exchange, they let me share their supplies." Lexi swiped a hand across her face, and he realized she was crying.

Shaking her head, she continued. "We traveled together for a few weeks. Her name was Heather, her daughter was Charlotte, just an infant. She was the sweetest little girl I'd ever met. They'd tell stories about their life before everything went to shit, and I taught Heather how to better defend herself. It was a wonder they survived up until that point." Law suspected that she was getting sidetracked, and interjected.

"What happened?" He prompted again, and she tightened her fist on the shirt. Lexi still wouldn't look at him.

"We were holed up in a house, one that had a crib for Charlotte. It was safe, or at least I thought it was." Lexi took a deep breath, swallowing thickly. "One day, I went out to scavenge for supplies, and when I came back, the gate had been broken down. I guess Heather had been making too much noise, or attracted attention, because a horde of zombies had broken through and were pounding at the front door.

"I was able to sneak inside from the back, and I found Heather trying to keep the door pressed shut, so they wouldn't push through. But it was cracking and splintering, and there were too many." The brunette stopped, her eyes faraway, envisioning the scene for the thousandth time since it happened.

_Please! Leave me and run! Take care of my daughter! Keep her safe!_

"They broke through." Law guessed, shaking her from her thoughts. She nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, but through the windows on the side. She screamed at me to get Charlotte and run, even as they were…even as she died."

Law stayed silent, knowing all too well the fear of being in a similar situation. He was about to prompt her to continue again, but she beat him to it.

"I was able to grab her and get out without too much trouble. A few followed after but they were slow. We escaped into the forest nearby, and spent the night in a tree. It was uncomfortable, but we made do.

"After a few days, I began to realize that our supplies were running low too quickly, but Charlotte had to eat a lot so she wouldn't cry. After several days, I had to start rationing, but Charlotte couldn't understand, so she cried for food."

"I imagine that attracted the zombies." Law assumed, and she nodded.

"Before long, I only had one can of food left." She swallowed thickly again, finding that the words were getting harder to form. "We weren't near a town, and even if I found animals in the forest, she wouldn't be able to eat them. She was constantly crying, putting us in danger. I've never taken care of a baby before…We were both starving, I didn't know what to do"

Lexi sniffed, wiping at her face with her hands again. The memories were far too vivid and haunting, the baby's scream still echoing in her mind. "…I had to…to decide…" Her tears started fresh as the image reappeared in her mind, the same as all the nightmares.

"You had to choose, didn't you?" Law predicted. Wordlessly, she nodded.

"I left her underneath a blanket, at the base of a tree." Lexi sobbed. "She was screaming so loudly…"

"Nightmares. That's why you can't sleep." He reasoned, and she nodded again. He crossed his arms.

"Even if you had decided to give her all of your food, you both would have died out there. She wouldn't have survived if you had starved simply to keep her quiet." Law reasoned, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive what she'd done, and he knew that.

"I left her to die all alone…" She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to rid the sounds out of her head. "Heather trusted me…"

"What's done is done." Law concluded with a tone of finality. She said nothing, trying to stop her tears. "You are alive now, and they are not. How you live from now on is how you preserve their memory."

"I don't deserve-"

"Stop." Law interrupted, finally approaching her side. He was getting angry, wondering why she thought thinking these things was acceptable. Gripping her by the shoulders, he shook her gently, drawing her attention to his face. He stared at her grimly. "Just because you've done terrible things to survive doesn't give you the right to stop living."

"I-"

"Shut up and listen." He stopped her again, glaring at her bewilderment. "There isn't one person living right now who hasn't had to do sick, disgusting things to still be here. No one. Got that? Not you, not me, and not Penguin and Shachi. Nobody. So own up to your damn mistakes and live with it. That's the way things are now. And if you can't understand that, then perhaps I misjudged your worth when we first met."

Lexi stayed silent, eyes closed as she took Law's lecture full force. His hands still gripped her shoulders, but even his tight hold was strangely comforting. She hadn't been held by another person in a long time. The brunette let out a shuttered breath, nodding through the tears to indicate she understood.

"Good, now grab your things." He released her shoulders and unslung his rifle from his shoulder. She opened her eyes, looking to him in confusion.

"What? Why?" Law's smirk returned, and he gestured to the back door where they'd entered the house.

"Shachi and Penguin are expecting me, and I'm not leaving myself in debt to you for giving up that cabin months ago. So, we'll give you food and rest, and tomorrow you can be on your way."

"But…we can't trust each other." She stated, and he only shrugged.

"Perhaps. But no one can fake guilt, Lexi. And remorse is one of the last things we hold onto as real people, and I believe what you said. Only a truly sorry person would admit to their wrongdoings willingly. Though only partially, you've earned my trust. For the time being." He added, making sure that she was still not what he considered a friend or close acquaintance quite yet.

Her eyes searched his, and he waited for her to decide what she would do. She stared at her open pack on the counter. Law was patient, but he was worried that the zombies she'd drawn away earlier would begin to trickle back to the houses before long.

She sighed, and he caught her eye. Using one hand, she wiped at the remaining moisture in her eyes, reaching for her stuff to repack her bag. "Alright, Law. You've convinced me. Besides, I did say I'd take up your offer the next time, didn't I?"

He grinned, remembering her last words to him at the cabin. Waiting for her to grab all of her things, she zipped up her bag and threw it across her shoulder. Taking out her pistol, she undid the safety and looked to him.

"That's everything."

"Let's go."

* * *

"We were just about to go looking for you! What took you-" Shachi began, but stopped when he saw a second person step inside behind their friend. "Whoa, Lexi? Is that you?"

Smiling sheepishly, she nodded, giving a tiny wave in his direction. Penguin shot up from his place on the couch, peering at her over the cushion.

"Lexi! You survived!"

"Yeah, I did. How have you guys been?"

They spent the next few minutes catching up with each other, and Lexi marveled at the way they treated her as an old friend who they'd known for years, even if they'd only met once. She told them about the places she visited, and they relayed adventures of escaping the zombies, or recounting the cool things they'd accomplished while out killing the undead.

Law watched from the corner, taking off his shoes and resting his gun against the wall. The knife stayed in his pocket, just in case, but he doubted he'd be needing it. His friends smiled and laughed, something he missed seeing so often. It was rare that they found something to smile at nowadays.

Penguin and Shachi were all too eager to share a can of food between them all, and they soon had broken open the can, passing it around the circle they formed on the living room couches. The stove wasn't functional but Lexi was too starving to really care what went into her mouth, so long as it was edible and kept her alive.

Law went up to the room on the floor above, returning with a water bottle, a little under halfway filled with liquid. He offered it to her, and she didn't hesitate in drinking as much as he allowed her, which was all of it. He reassured her they had plenty others.

Soon, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, and promptly fell asleep on the couch, her head cushioned by the arm.

"Wow, she must have been exhausted." Shachi said, watching the sleeping Lexi breathe in and out evenly. Law got up from his chair and went to approach her.

"I mixed one of the sleeping pills into the water, so she could rest." Penguin raised an eyebrow.

"Umm, are you sure she would want us slipping medication into her food?" Law simply waved off his concern.

"She needs rest, or she won't survive out there. And Lexi doesn't have to know." He settled his arms underneath her knees and back, hoisting her into his arms as he walked towards the unused bedroom upstairs.

Laying her onto the comforter, he tried making her position as natural as possible, so she wouldn't wake up with sore muscles or joints. Shachi entered right behind him, holding her bag of stuff, placing it by the door and heading back downstairs.

Law watched her sleeping face, relaxed in a peaceful expression, for a few moments. Her chest rose and fell steadily. He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away, eyes drifting over the curves of her face, memorizing every feature.

Without really thinking, he brought up a hand, brushing away a few strands of hair that were out of place. Lexi didn't stir from sleep, not even a mutter, and he finally pulled away, composing himself.

 _You are quite a strange woman, Lexi._  He thought, smirking to himself and turning towards the door. She groaned in her sleep, and rolled over towards where he stepped away. Law spared her another glance.

_Strange woman, indeed._


	4. Frustration

"Maybe we should just let her keep sleeping." Shachi shrugged, glancing up at the spare bedroom where the woman in question still resided. They hadn't heard any noise so far, and assumed her to still be resting. Those sleeping pills must have been rather effective on her.

Law sighed, leaning back against the couch with crossed legs. "We can't just wait around all day for her." He reasoned, somewhat frustrated with how things had turned out. "I don't want to waste any more daylight. We still need to search the grocery store further down the street."

While he honestly believed that they should let her sleep some more, recalling just how exhausted she had seemed when he'd found her in the other house, his sense of responsibility was stronger. They weren't in an ideal spot food-wise, and he'd rather have an excess than not enough.

"What if one of us stayed behind to watch the house? That way we wouldn't be leaving her alone, but two people could probably scavenge the place by themselves." Was Penguin's suggestion, drinking a few sips from one of their bottles of water.

"I don't like the thought of separating for any reason."

"This town didn't appear to be highly populated, so there shouldn't be too many of them out there." Shachi continued, gesturing to the front door. "Two of us could easily take the grocery store I bet."

"We can decide between us who stays with Lexi." Penguin smiled, thinking that this plan would work just fine.

Unsurprisingly Shachi and Penguin, always the chivalrous bunch, weren't too happy with disturbing the brunette from her sleep. A fact their leader wasn't too keen on realizing. Already the woman was causing problems for him and she wasn't even awake. How worse it could be if she were awake he didn't want to find out. Law's eyes narrowed a fraction

"You do realize that we can't fully trust her, right?" He asked suddenly, glancing between them both suspiciously. Law didn't mince words, or skirt around an issue, especially with the situations they often found themselves in nowadays. Shachi and Penguin looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

"I've told you this before. Just because someone feeds you or does you a favor once doesn't mean they're your friend." Feeling his irritation grow, the man shook his head in exasperation. "We've only ever met her three times, which were all highly coincidental by the way. What makes you think she's so trustworthy in that short a timeframe?"

His two friends shared a glance. Law had always known they were impressionable, but never to this extent. What the hell had gotten into them? He waited for an answer in silence. Both men before him looked thoroughly chastised, good. Hopefully they'd learn from this and be more cautious in the future.

"I don't really know how to explain it but…" Penguin started hesitantly, glancing up at their leader, "there's just something about her that makes you trust her. Don't you think?"

Without any other word of explanation, Shachi shrugged and nodded in agreement, and Law sighed harshly. It was all so frustrating, he thought. Way too much to be thinking about so early in the morning. Rubbing at his forehead, he grinned mirthlessly.

"Somehow, I have to agree…as much as I don't want to."

It was true. As much as it didn't make sense, and really  _shouldn't_  have made sense, something about Lexi just brought your guard down, made you want to trust her and bring her closer. A disarming smile, blind faith in the goodness everyone else seemed to miss. Added to that was her innate ability to survive, seeing as she was still alive and kicking.

All in all, he'd term her as manipulative. And those were extremely dangerous people indeed. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to blame his friends for walking straight into her hands, regardless.

Even as alarm bells rang in his head whenever she was near, warning him that she was an unpredictable factor in their survival, the other part of him didn't want to believe it. For the life of him he couldn't stop it. Trying to rationalize that only led him to believe that it was some lingering gratitude for her saving Penguin's life, indirectly of course. But without the medication he surely wouldn't have lasted much longer.

Her kindness had to account for something, or so she may have hoped they believed. Law wasn't that convinced, seeing as handing out all of her supplies to anyone that needed help nowadays was likely to kill her eventually. Unless she had some other devious tricks that he had yet to discover, there's no logical way she could have survived this long by herself.

After a moment, he realized all three of them had drifted away in their thoughts, and abruptly stood from his seat on the floor. The movement brought the other two from their reveries, their eyes following as Law started towards the stairs going up.

"What are you doing?" Shachi asked, the both of them standing as well.

"Waking her up. We've wasted enough time sitting here, and she's had plenty of rest for the time being." He responded, not caring how much noise he made as he ascended the stairs. Reaching the door, he knocked hard on the wood several times. "Lexi?" He called, sparing only a few seconds before he opened the door.

Stopping mid-step, he closed his eyes and sighed again, leaning against the dresser beside him. Eyeing the perfectly-made bed, empty room, missing woman and cracked open window, he could put two and two together fairly easily. There was a piece of paper attached to the window pane, held in place by a small piece of tape. Walking over, he detached it from where she'd stuck it and read the message written.

_Take these, as payment for the sleep. Stay safe. ;)_

_-Lexi_

He grinned, recognizing his own words to her so long ago. Looking down, he noticed a small brown bag on the sill. It was cinched at the top, and when he opened it, he found a couple sticks of assorted fireworks, and a few firecrackers. No lighter, though. He assumed she'd kept that. Though they had one of their own.

He could hear the thump of Shachi's and Penguin's footsteps coming up the stairs, and a moment later they peeked into the room.

"Is Lexi-" Penguin started, noticing the lack of a female. "Where is she?"

Shachi's eyes widened. "Don't tell me. Did-"

"Yes." He answered, knowing what his question would be. He held up the note. "She left a note as goodbye." Eyeing it himself, he noticed more writing on the back, and brought it closer to his face to read it.

_P.S. I sort of need the food, so you understand if I hit the grocery store first, right? Don't worry, I'll be sure to leave you guys plenty._

Law frowned, fingers clenching around the piece of paper. Growling at the back of his throat, he turned and hurriedly left the room, leaving two very confused men behind him. "Get your things together. We're leaving."

* * *

Lexi supposed she should feel worse about just leaving without them knowing, but she really wasn't prepared for seeing them again after the emotional wreck she'd been the night before. Thinking back to her moment of waterworks at the other house, right in front of Law, it was embarrassing.

It wasn't like they particularly liked her, if their discussion downstairs was anything to go by. Maybe they didn't realize their voices tended to carry, and she could hear every word. Most notable was Law's adamant refusal to trust her, and his companions' hesitation to outright  _distrust_  her. Hmm, how interesting.

But once they started talking about the grocery store, her thoughts returned to her own supplies which had fallen dangerously low. If they got to the place first, they might take all that was left. Just this once, she'd be selfish and take what she needed. Thanking God above that they'd thought to bring her her bag the night before, she'd packed up quietly and got ready to leave.

She hadn't felt right just taking some of their food and water, crashing at their place, then ditching them without a thank you. So, giving up some of the fireworks she'd found before and finally writing a note as an afterthought, grinning as she mimicked Law's own message, she placed them by the window before she'd left.

There hadn't been many zombies in the area, most of them having been in the residential streets surrounding the main street, quite opposite from the big cities, and found that after a few forceful shoves, the backdoor had opened without too much trouble.

The floor was slick with blood, and she took care to step over the bodies of the zombies she'd killed, trying to keep her shoes clean this time. The town must have fallen rather fast to the infection and left few survivors, because it didn't seem like the store had been ransacked at all, or only partially. Perhaps someone had survived during the beginning of the apocalypse, but for so many supplies to be left behind, whoever they were must have died.

Broken open cans and broken glass littered the floor, maybe from animals or the initial panic of the outbreak, but other than that there was still plenty of food and water to choose from. Not as much as she'd wanted to see, but more than enough to hold her off for several days at least.

Too bad that meant that some of the meat that had been left since the beginning was still here, rotting away as the year plus it had been there stunk up the place something fierce. The bandana across her face didn't do much either to mask the smell.

There was a small section of clothes and other necessities that weren't food, and Lexi wandered over to see what she could find. There were a few racks of men and women's clothes still hung up, and then some school supplies sections. Smiling, she spotted a backpack in perfect condition, never having been sold. Reaching up, she pulled it from the rack and inspected it. The inside was much more spacious than her smaller bag, which was beginning to fray on the straps, in danger of snapping any day. There were more pockets too.

Zipping open her pack, she dumped the contents into the newer bag, relieved to see that it could hold more supplies than her previous one, and she returned to the aisles of food to grab more.

Once she'd taken her capacity, she paused, grinning as a thought came to her. Grabbing the remaining cans of food that were still good, she lined them all up on the closest aisle to the door, just as the store would have if it had still been in operation. Angling them neatly for display, she made sure that there was nothing else that they could benefit from, before zipping up her pack again and returning the way she'd come.

One glance outside showed that only a few other zombies had trickled closer, making her escape into the surrounding countryside so much easier than she'd expected. One last look behind her made her grin, spotting the flash of people running and dodging around buildings a few streets down. Satisfied that she was too far away for them to spot or go after, she disappeared behind the hill and kept her heading North.

* * *

As soon as Law and the other stepped into the grocery store, weapons drawn just in case of stray zombies, he just knew that Lexi had already been and gone. The handful of zombie corpses bleeding onto the floor around them indicated that someone had cleared out the place recently, and a few bloody shoe prints just her size dotted the floor.

"Wow, she really did a number." Penguin mentioned, nudging one of the bodies left behind. "She's better with a weapon than I expected her to be."

"What?" Shachi proclaimed, putting away his gun when it became clear there was no other threat inside the building. "She's survived this long by herself. I already knew she was a badass. Obviously."

"Oh,  _sure._  You  _always_  knew, real convincing coming after we actually see what she can do." His friend continued, unimpressed. Knowing that they were about to spiral into yet another argument, Law sighed loudly and sheathed his sword.

"That's enough." Thankfully they listened, and Law approached the aisle where a pile of food was neatly organized and stacked. He raised a brow, surprised at the low number of cans and bottles of water. Perhaps there hadn't been much here after all, or Lexi had simply taken a lot more. Either way, it was a decent haul, and he started bagging the items left behind.

"Think we'll see Lexi again?" Penguin started again, seemingly unable to branch away from the subject of the woman in particular.

"I hope so, she's got cool stories to tell. And she's a badass, like I said." Shachi helped Law gather the food and water, while Penguin searched around for more stuff.

"What do you think, Law?" Penguin glanced at their leader, who'd remained quiet pretty much since discovering Lexi had left.

Shaking his head slowly, Law finished putting the last of the food items into his pack, testing the weight as he swung it onto his back. It wasn't cumbersome, but a reassuring heft that eased some of his peace of mind. At least they wouldn't go hungry for awhile.

"I'm sure with out luck, we'll cross paths yet again, however fortunate we'll be to do so." He said cryptically, not willing to voice out loud that he certainly hoped so. Turning back to the door they'd come through, and satisfied that there was nothing left to scavenge, he lead them all back outside and towards the house they'd decided to stay in.

Law glanced North, almost expecting to see the woman waving goodbye or walking away, but there was nothing and he looked away quickly, feeling ridiculous.


	5. Fear

"Hey, this place looks a lot like the clinic you worked at before, huh?" Shachi commented quietly, pointing up at the large sign proclaiming the building to be a clinic. The two-story, white-brick building almost blended in with the rest of the structures surrounding it, but the handful of remaining letters on the sign was the only indication of what it was, really. That, and the ambulance parked right outside the doors.

They had chased across it, though they could certainly use the medical supplies if it still had any. Their own reserves were gradually depleting, to where Law was getting a bit antsy every time they went scavenging or killed zombies.

In reply to Shachi's words, Law shrugged. "Almost all clinics look the same."

"I was just trying to make conversation, but ok." Shachi gave a bland look to Penguin, who merely grinned in return. Sometimes Law was too literal to actually enjoy talking to. "Don't you ever think back to times before the world ended?"

"Not really." Their leader admitted, eyes still scanning the area around them.

The area was relatively clear of zombies, though a few stragglers lingered, groaning at their surroundings with each shuffled step. The three men walked up the street, loosely holding their weapons just in case they needed them, approaching the medical facility.

Penguin spoke this time. "What? Why? Don't you miss the way things used to be?"

Sighing deeply, Law shook his head. "Of course I do. But thinking about it isn't going to magically bring it back, so what's the point?" The grip on his sword tightened, though the other two didn't seem to notice, nor see the pained look that Law carefully hid. "Wishing and hoping for something that is never going to happen is a waste of time."

His two companions shared a long look before shrugging and basically ignoring what he'd said. "Well, I for one wish that we were back in the days of functional plumbing and air conditioning."

Penguin nodded vehemently, raising his arms above his head in a stretched as they walked. "And twinkies. I haven't had a twinkie in  _ages_." He protested. Beside him, Law raised a brow but said nothing, the only sign of his amusement the slight uptilt of the corner of his mouth.

"Man, what I wouldn't give to get my hands on some old Victoria's Secret catalog right about now."

"Can't keep it in your pants?" Penguin shook his head ruefully, as if disappointed in his friend. Shachi guffawed and sputtered a moment, before rounding on his companion.

"It's not like there are any women around or anything!" He pointed an accusatory finger at the grinning man. "Don't act all innocent or anything. I've seen you look at Lexi all weird before."

Penguin shrugged defensively. "What? She's attractive! And like you said, we haven't seen another woman in awhile. Is that such a bad thing?" He turned away with a grumble. "I'm not a  _savage_ , but we've all got needs."

While Shachi and Penguin conversed, Law had continued searching the area ahead as they got closer to the medical facility. Most of the time, like at that moment, he just tried to block out their arguing and useless talking. It was exhausting sometimes, but he preferred having them around to being completely alone.

Still, this was no time to let their guard down. In the middle of a good-sized city, there could be zombies and other survivors anywhere. It was strange, though. There didn't appear to be very many of the undead walking the empty streets around them. Of course there were a few stragglers, but nothing life-threatening so long as they remained aware and watchful. He also took note of unmoving corpses littered along the streets. Zombie corpses, killed before they'd even gotten there. They looked recent.

Every other town had been infested with the flesh-eating monsters, no doubt from the thousands of people trying to escape to a less populated area when the infection first started. To walk through a mostly barren city with little sign of the undead, it left him with an eerie feeling, that sensation like they were being watched every step they took. Eyes narrowed, he scanned the nearby buildings carefully, always mindful of what was going on around them.

So it was no surprise that Law spotted the figure at the top of the roof prop up the long rifle on the edge of the railing and aim it towards his group down below. Running purely on instinct, he snapped into action.

"Go! Keep low!" He shouted, pushing roughly at his friends to run to the closest cover, startling the two of them from their discussion. Expressions displaying their confusion, regardless, they crouched low to the ground and ran towards the nearest building and swinging behind the wall. A mere second after they swung the corner, a loud shot rang out, and a chunk of the edge of the concrete wall exploded off in a shower of bits of cement.

"Where are they?" Shachi puffed out, kneeling on the ground behind Penguin and Law respectively. Law, who was closest to the edge of the wall they hid behind, looked around and spotted a few zombies coming their way. Even if there hadn't been a lot of them before, having all of the nearest ones converge on a single location could certainly become dangerous.

"Shit…" He muttered, thinking that things had taken a steep turn too quickly for his liking. Pulling out his sword, he stood and waited for the zombies to come closer. "He's on the roof across the street. And that shot just attracted all the zombies in town right to us." He explained, stepping forward and slicing the head off the first shuffling undead that came near. Another followed close behind it, unaffected as it's brethren was killed in an instant.

Shachi and Penguin recovered from their shock and surprise quickly, standing and mindful of where the building's wall ended as to avoid being shot, took up a defensive stance against the zombies that began to gather towards them. The moans of the undead increased in volume and number further down the street, and Law looked behind them to see the alleyway was not fenced in or blocked at all, and several more zombies shuffled around the corner to spot them. If they waited too long here they'd be cornered in no time.

Leaving the two to deal with the undead for a moment, he looked around for some kind of way out, spotting a fire escape ladder above their heads. It was the best chance they had, and it was out of view of the sniper across the street too.

"Climb up! I'll follow after." He pointed above him at the ladder, rejoining the fight as the number of zombies continued to grow. Where had they all even come from anyway? They must have remained hidden in alleys and inside buildings, because Law wouldn't have thought there were this many in the area. He swung left and right, decapitating groaning undead with relative ease, though where one died, another two took it's place.

His friends took one glance at the ladder and nodded, holstering their weapons quickly and running underneath the metal ladder. Shachi gave Penguin a boost up, cupping the bottom of his shoe with his hands and lifting up enough for him to reach the bottom-most rung. A zombie got a little too close to them for Law's comfort, and he swiftly thrust his sword through its head, stopping it in its tracks as it fell to the ground with the other bodies.

The stench of dozens of the undead things together, rotting flesh and meat mixed in with something moldy and disgusting, was nauseating. Their moans set his teeth on edge, that hungry keen that was all he heard nowadays.

Law spared one glance backwards to see that Penguin had made it up the ladder and was now reaching down to help Shachi up. Good, at least they'd made it. He refocused on the undead around them, slowly being pushed back by the sheer numbers. What had started as two or three had quickly grown to nearly two dozen groaning and shuffling monsters surrounding him.

A shot from the opposite roof rang out again, followed by a much smaller-sounding gun, and Law worried that they'd seen Shachi or Penguin climbing up the fire escape, but neither of them called out in pain, and thankfully a few of the zombies at the back of the group began to wander away towards the noise, giving Law a moment to gain the upper hand.

"Law! Come on!" Shachi called from the ladder, reaching down to help him up. Above him, Penguin was already climbing up the rest of the fire escape.

Law sliced the heads of a few that came closer, backing away from the outstretched hands hoping to grab on and never let go. While they hadn't come grouped together, as they all arrived they slowly formed a rough semicircle around him, closing in with a slow persistence.

"Hurry!" His friend called again.

Killing a few more of the monsters around him, Law sheathed his sword and jogged the few yards of space between him and the fire escape, using a few of the bodies closest to jump off of and reach out for Shachi's hand.

Their hands connected, and with a loud grunt, Shachi pulled Law up to reach the bottom rung of the ladder and to safety. Grabbing onto the metal rung, Law began to pull himself up out of reach of the zombies down below, feeling rotting fingers scratch at the bottom of his shoes in desperation. Below, the rasps of the undead grew louder, angry that their prey had escaped out of reach, leaving them hungry another day.

Now that he was safely out of danger from the zombies down below, still reaching upwards to try to grab him and his friends, Law could feel the loud and insistent thump of his heart against his ribcage. The adrenaline was still freely-pumping through his veins, but he hadn't noticed just how tight of a situation they'd been in until right then.

"Everyone ok?" Shachi asked them. Law nodded and Penguin gave his affirmation.

"Should we go to the roof?" Penguin called down at the others. He'd paused halfway up, remembering the sniper across the street from them. In the minutes previous, they'd almost completely forgotten about their original problem. Law breathed heavily, taking a moment to gain his breath back after that harrowing moment.

"No, try to open…some of the upper-floor windows." He managed between breaths. "If he's still…on the roof then he may see us."

"Got it." He grinned with a thumbs up, resuming his climb up the ladder and towards the top story.

* * *

 

"Urgh…" Lexi hissed through gritted teeth. It was all she could do not to scream in pain from the bullet wound in her arm and the long jagged cut running down her leg. As far as the cut went, well, falling from a second story window and hitting a jagged piece of metal on the way down, it couldn't have been much better or worse.

She was lucky the bullet had missed a more vital spot, but the shooter must have had an unsteady aim or he couldn't hit moving targets very well. If she hadn't already been running, eh, limping, to begin with, spooked by the first shot, or managed to duck behind the wall of the clinic any sooner, she probably would have been dead.

At least she'd managed to pop off a shot of her own with her pistol, hopefully keeping the shooter at bay for the time being. She doubted it actually hit him or even was aimed in the right direction, but whoever had shot at her didn't know that and would have taken cover out of reflex.

Though now, faced with a new problem, perhaps shooting back hadn't been the smartest move either.

The blood seeped from her wounds, dripping onto the pavement and onto her pants and shoes, but she had more pressing issues to attend to, like the two zombies now facing her and blocking the entrance to the clinic. Wiping away the tears that pricked her eyes with her sleeve, she let out a strangled breath.

Biting back a sob, she pulled her knife from the holster with her other hand and held her injured arm to her chest, trying in vain not to put too much weight on the banged up leg. With a small groan of pain, she stabbed upwards into the creatures eye, hitting the brain through the socket with ease.

The first fell to the ground, falling in the path of its companion, causing it to stumble. Lexi used the opportunity to jab her knife through the side of its head when it tried righting itself. She pushed past the two now-dead zombies, noticing a few more approaching from behind, and before the second had even hit the ground all the way, she pushed her way through the side employee entrance.

* * *

 

"I think I could take this guy out from that window." Shachi said, unstrapping the rifle of his own from his back and keeping low as he approached the window facing the opposite block. Laying the barrel on the lip of the sill, he clicked the safety off and tried pinpointing exactly where the hiding survivor was.

Law crouched down beside him and pointed to the building where he'd originally seen the man. "There. He was at the left-most point, the corner."

"Let's see if our friend is still there then." Shachi nodded, pressing the stock of his gun against his shoulder and peering through the scope. Law and Penguin took up positions further back, hidden in the gloom of the dark bedroom, trying to help spot the shooter.

For a minute or so, there was no movement from the building's roof. No sign of anyone even there, and Law frowned. He was sure that was the correct building, and the right spot on top. Even at a glance, he'd been sure of that. Then, after that tense minute of no activity, the man reappeared from beneath the small wall around the roof, hoisting his gun to point in the direction of the clinic.

Law then recalled the additional shots he'd heard while in the alley, and wondered if there was another person around that the shooter had seen that they hadn't. Shachi tightened his grip on the stock and made minute adjustments with his scope to aim. Then, slowly, he moved his finger to the trigger, hovering just above it for a split moment.

Covering their ears, Law and Penguin tensed when Shachi's shot vibrated the window they peered through, watching as the roof beside the man was splattered in blood and his body dropped to the concrete, his gun falling beside him.

Shachi ejected his spent casing and reloaded the next, moving to stand from the window, but Law held out a hand to halt his movements.

"Wait." He instructed, eyes still glued to the roof. "There may be more."

It took a few seconds, but just as Law predicted, the door to the stairwell further back opened timidly, and then someone burst out running to the dead man's side, crouched down and visibly upset with what they'd found. After a moment, the new person, a woman as they discovered, grabbed the discarded rifle and hid behind the wall.

"Really?" Penguin muttered, shaking his head. "We wouldn't even have known they were there if they just let us get to the clinic in peace."

"No need to go shooting up survivors left and right." Shachi whispered his agreement, readjusting his grip on the rifle once more to aim in the general direction of the second person.

Slowly, a head popped up from the wall of the roof, slowly turning left and right as the woman tried to assess where the shooter had come from. Law, Penguin, and Shachi crouched low to avoid detection, Shachi being sure to keep the barrel of the rifle inside the window sill so as not to be obviously sticking outside.

The woman didn't see them at their position, and must have decided that the shot came from below, as she stood up a little more and began pointing the rifle down at the street. Shachi sighed and shook his head at the stupid decision she'd made, before zeroing his aim in on her.

Just as before, Shachi's shot vibrated the window and his companions tensed. The woman suffered the same fate as her partner, with blood spraying across the edge of the roof and the gun falling from her hands. Unfortunately, she'd been leaning out over the edge of the roof just a little too much, and when the bullet impacted, she was sent forward and tumbling over the edge of the roof, falling to the street below along with her rifle.

The three men looked away at the sickening splat her body made upon impact. The rifle landed just a second behind her with a jarringly loud crash, the stock and other parts shattering as they hit the ground and sending pieces everywhere. The zombies nearby began to shuffle closer to the noise, wondering what had caused it. It didn't take long for them to notice the fresh corpse to snack on, and all of those that had been nearby began to converge onto the woman's ruined body.

For several minutes, the three remained in the apartment, watching the roof for any sign of other occupants, but no one emerged. Satisfied that if there was anyone else inside, they would not come out, Law nodded.

"That should have attracted all the zombies close by," he indicated the zombies milling towards the broken gun and the woman, "so we should be able to sneak our way over to the clinic."

Shachi slung the gun across his shoulders and stood along with the others, cautiously making their way to the stairway to descend to the bottom floor, weapons at the ready for any zombies or hostile survivors that may be lurking inside.

* * *

 

With a strangled cry out, Lexi bit the edge of the crude bandage and pulled with her teeth, pulling on the other end to tighten the material around her bleeding arm. An immense pain shot through her body, but despite the tears streaming down her face she ignored it. It was the best she could do given the circumstances. The angle was awkward and hard to reach. Being alone, however, didn't present her with a lot of other options.

Sitting on one of the stools that had been overturned in the ransacked clinic, Lexi tried breathing steadily in hopes of not passing out from the pain. The place wasn't exactly ideal for medical attention but it  _had_  at one point been constructed for that purpose. The empty cabinets and drawers left open, broken glass littering the floor, didn't feel much like a place of healing, but hey. Technically it  _was_  a clinic.

After attending to her arm as best she could, she looked down at the towel covering her leg, soaked through with blood. Damn, it was a lot worse than she thought. Added to that the piece of metal, some broken piece of a fence or something, hadn't looked very clean. It was probably swarming with germs and bacteria. She'd be lucky if infection didn't set in.

She cursed under her breath as she slowly lifted the towel, the dried blood beginning to stick to the fabric. Though her pants soaked up most of the blood, the stuff that dried into a temporary clog began to hold fast to the towel. Parts that stuck pulled and sent tendrils of pain shooting up and down the limb. Biting the inside of her lip, Lexi managed to remove it entirely, viewing the long, ugly cut starting halfway down her shin and up past her knee. At least it hadn't damaged her knee itself, otherwise she would have been out of commission permanently.

There were bits of rusted metal flakes still left in the wound, and she reached for the pair of tweezers that had been one of the very few items left behind in the clinic. Or at least in the four or so cupboards Lexi had bothered to check.

Leaning forward, she winced as it caused her arm pain, and shakily lowered the metal tool to pull out the few bits she could see. God, it hurt. Even worse than that broken arm she'd gotten in eighth grade, and she'd thought  _that_  had been painful.

Once as many of them as she could get were plucked from her wounds, Lexi reached for the dirty needle she'd found on the floor and the fishing wire from her bag. There hadn't been any stitching thread, seeing as anything of medical use had been taken long ago. With a grimace, she inspected the surface of the needle again, seeing the red-colored stains with disappointment. Her search of the examination room had yielded no other sharp objects, and this needle was all she had. It would have to do.

A noise at the front of the clinic alerted her to someone or something nearby. Her head snapped up, and she immediately dropped the needle and thread on the counter and reached for the pistol on her belt, cocking it just to be safe. Holding it up at the ready, here eyes flicked back and forth as the sound of a door opening somewhere echoed through the empty building.

Another glance down at her leg reenforced the fact that she couldn't really run, and with all the blood everywhere it would be difficult to hide. Her best bet was to shoot first and ask questions later. It wasn't her favorite tactic, seeing as you never knew who would come through that door, but right now it was all that made sense.

The sound of men's voices, several of them, whispering to each other was easily distinguishable in the empty air. Whole body shaking both from the pain and from fear, Lexi swallowed several times to try calming her own nerves. Footsteps, whispers, and the very distant sound of groaning outside.

"…can't deny that…thing better…Secret…Playboy." Lexi could only pick up a few of the words being spoken. As they came closer, Lexi's grip tightened on her weapon. The tears threatened to blur her vision, and she quickly wiped them away.

Something loud crashed in the hallway outside, causing her to jump in her chair. Her injured arm smacked into the counter beside her, and she hissed loudly in pain, squeezing her eyes shut out of reflex. The voices outside had stopped, as did the footsteps. Damn it all to hell, she'd just blown her element of surprise.

Before she had any time to react, the footsteps picked up and three figures rounded the corner and into the room, pointing large guns and a rather long blade in her direction. Frightened by the sudden appearance, she raised the pistol to defend herself from-

She paused, recognizing that sword and the gray eyes of the man that held it.


	6. Relief

"It's Lexi." Shachi proclaimed, immediately lowering his weapon and shouldering it. "Jeez, you scared us half to death! We thought you were one of those-oh my god, what happened!?"

A cool wave of relief washed over her, so thankful that it hadn't been anyone other than this group, that she shakily dropped the pistol to the counter and slumped in her chair. "Thank god…" She whispered to herself, too low for any of them to hear.

"Are you ok?" Penguin did the same as his friend, and only a moment later, after that flicker of hesitation, Law sheathed his sword and stepped forward to crouch in front of her and inspect her wounds.

"I sort of…fell." She replied vaguely in an unsteady voice, not really wanting to admit that she'd mistakenly thought she could easily scale the side of a building. "And then some guy shot me."

"That guy on the roof, right?" Penguin asked, and she nodded. A confident grin spread across his face, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "We took care of him already."

"Caused us quite a bit of trouble." His friend added.

"That second shot must have been at you." Lexi heard Law mutter as he looked over the wounds on her leg. Gently, his fingers probed the sides, and she winced at the pain. His eyes narrowed, and then he stood. "When did this happen?"

"About…fifteen minutes ago?" Lexi couldn't be sure. How long had she been sitting there? In all the excitement she sort of lost track of time.

Law continued to inspect her wound, then nodded slowly. "You'll need stitches."

"I know." She reached for the fishing line and dirty needle. "I was just about to try-"

Before she could finish the thought, he picked up what she'd had on hand and critically examined them both. Law looked at the needle and frowned deeply. Shaking his head, he sighed. "I'll do it." Placing them back on the counter, he said nothing and began to search the drawers and cabinets that had already been cleared.

"I already looked as much as I could." He still didn't reply. "Do you even know how to?" She asked, watching as he silently left the room and went in search somewhere else. Turning her attention back to Shachi and Penguin, they only grinned. "What?"

"Don't worry, Law knows what he's doing." Shachi nodded in agreement.

"He used to be a doctor at a clinic like this." The redhead spread his hand out. "Well, a surgeon specifically, but he would visit other hospitals and stuff and demonstrate new procedures."

"Oh really?" Lexi questioned, grimacing as another shot of pain stabbed through. "How lucky for me then."

"We used to work at a mechanic shop together, and did construction on the side." Shachi indicated the both of them. Lexi cocked her head, massaging her temple slowly to try to reduce the pounding.

"Is that where you two met?"

Shachi waved a hand in dismissal. "Nah, we've been friends since…what, fifth grade?"

"Fourth grade." His friend corrected, pulling his pack closer to him and opening the zipper. "We both liked the same girl and, naturally, were mortal enemies."

Lexi smiled. "What happened?"

"You better let me tell you the story, or else he'll lie about it." Shachi jumped in waving his arms to draw attention. Penguin crossed his arms in a pout.

"Will not."

"You totally will."

"He's the liar. Don't believe a word he says." Ignoring his friend, Shachi continued on.

"This is what happened. I liked Elizabeth first, and obviously-"

"I've heard this conversation a dozen times too many." Law interjected as he entered the room again, carrying a small box in his hand. Raising a brow, he approached Lexi and set the box on the table before looking to his friends. "Does she really have to hear it?"

"Uhh…I guess not…" Penguin muttered, looking anywhere but at Law. Shaking his head and sighing, Law pointed at the chair in the corner.

"Hand me that chair."

Doing as he was told, Penguin pushed the chair over and Law turned it to face Lexi. "I have to cut these away. Do you have an extra pair?" He gestured to her torn and bloodstained pants. Lexi pursed her lips, but eventually nodded.

"Could you hand me my bag?" She asked Shachi, who nodded and grabbed her pack from the counter. She rummaged inside before pulling out a second pair of jeans, slightly frayed at the ankles but in relative good condition.

Lexi set her bag back on the table and held the jeans to her chest, watching as Law pulled out a knife from somewhere on his person. Reflexively, she gulped, feeling a little on edge with a weapon so close to her. Law must have noticed her apprehension, as he lowered the knife to her jeans and waited for her to give him permission to start.

Sighing, she nodded, and he began to cut away at the ripped denim. His cuts were only a few inches above the wound, giving her plenty of material to modestly cover herself. At least she didn't have to worry about them seeing her underwear. Suffice to say they weren't exactly attractive.

He was very gentle, or as gentle as he could be given the situation, especially for one who looked so stern and rough every time she'd seen him. The knife only ever grazed her skin, too light to leave a mark or cause any harm. After a few moments of hearing the knife cut away at her jeans, Law ripped the excised piece away and threw it to the side, fully exposing her wound out in the open. Without the majority of the bloody clothing in the way, it looked a lot worse, the edges inflamed and red.

"I couldn't find any antiseptic solution around. Do you have anything that could work?" He asked, grabbing the bloody towel from before and using it to wipe away some of the excess blood from the edges.

"Umm…I think I have a little bit of rubbing alcohol left. I found it awhile back. Been using it as sparingly as I could." So saying, she once again shuffled through her bag. It took a moment of searching, but she did indeed find the small bottle of alcohol with an inch or so of liquid left in it.

She handed it to Law, who inspected the label in the back carefully. He sighed softly, before putting it beside him on the counter. His grip adjusted on the towel, folding it in half, before he looked back up to Lexi.

"This will probably hurt." He supplied, before pressing down gently on to the wound itself to soak up more blood. The brunette tensed, grabbing onto the counter's edge like a vice. Teeth clenched, she stopped herself from groaning out loud at the pain. It wasn't as bad as actually getting the wound but damn, did it still hurt like hell.

Lexi kept her mouth shut until he was done. Now that most of the blood was cleared he could see the wound a lot better, though it was still bleeding at a steady rate. He put back the towel and chose the bottle of rubbing alcohol, uncapping the lid. Swirling it's contents around, he poured about half of the bottle straight onto the wound. The effect was immediate.

"Shit…" She hissed out breathlessly, the sting of the alcohol content killing away the bacteria that had gotten into the wound. It stung like a bitch, and caused her whole chest to tighten. Other than that she made no other noise of protest or pain, wanting to preserve her dignity and not cry like a baby.

"So what have you been up to since last time?" Shachi asked suddenly, thinking that perhaps they could get her mind off the pain by engaging her in conversation. Glancing their way, she swallowed hard.

"Just…drifting, I guess you could say. I haven't stayed anywhere more than a few days. There just aren't that many supplies to find anymore so holing up in one place is difficult." Her sentence was punctuated with gasps of pain and staggered breaths, a testament to the alcohol doing it's job.

"Similar luck with us." Penguin added. "Not too much to find nowadays. So much time has passed that most places have already been ransacked."

Lexi nodded her agreement. "It's getting tougher."

Law, satisfied that he'd cleaned out the wound as best he could, grabbed the small box he'd retrieved before and opened it, revealing a neat line of two or three clean needles. This drew her attention.

"Where did you find that?" Lexi asked critically, shocked that he'd actually managed to find something so valuable nowadays. He shrugged, picking one from inside and digging in his pocket for something.

"When you work in a clinic like this you figure out all the places doctors stash their favorite tools."

"Doctors have favorite tools?" Her incredulous tone and that raised brow made him glance her way with a pointed look. She smiled, and he finally directed his attention back to the needle. In his other hand was a lighter, and with a click it produced a small flame at the top. Hovering the needle over the flame, he heated it until it became blackened, then red hot at the tip.

"I forgot to ask earlier. What did you used to do? You know, before people started coming back from the dead." Penguin asked, jumping up to sit on the counter a little further away. Shachi only sat on another chair in the room.

"I was training to be a nurse. I was only a few years into getting my degree before everything pretty much ended." She admitted. The feeling of lightheadedness was growing stronger, now that the adrenaline of fear was beginning to wear off. Her vision swam, and she held her head in her hand.

"Hey, hey. You alright?" Shachi's concerned voice asked, leaning forward to get a better look at her. "Don't you pass out on us now. We only just started fixing you up."

"Sorry, just really tired and…today has been hectic." She laughed humorlessly, the black dots slowly beginning to fade away as her sight returned to normal. It wasn't apparent just how bad a shape she was in until she blinked rapidly to clear the rest of her vision.

"When is the last time you ate?" Law's voice cut through, peering up at her face. Her skin looked unhealthily pale, the color from her cheeks faded and practically nonexistent. The only color left to her was the deep brown of her hair and those bright green irises.

Lexi raised a hand to her head slowly, closing her eyes. "This morning?" After a brief silence, she cracked an eye to see Law's expression which very clearly conveyed his doubt. He wouldn't be fooled that easily. With a sigh she shook her head. "Probably…last night. Or it might have been two days ago…I can't remember honestly."

"Penguin, get her something to eat." Law ordered, and his friend was happy to comply, rummaging through his own pack to find something. "Honestly, it's a wonder you're still alive…" He muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear. She smiled ruefully.

"I like to believe it's my stubbornness still holding on." Her chuckle was low and quiet, as if she couldn't manage more than that. She probably couldn't, Law figured, glancing up at her ghostly pallor and unsteady breathing.

She'd probably lost a fair amount of blood before they'd gotten there, judging by the wound. Without any blood bags or equipment to perform a blood transfusion, Law could only hope that she hadn't lost too much to be life threatening. Otherwise no amount of field surgery or treatment could help her at this point.

Threading the fishing wire she had through the clean and now-sterile needle, he tied the end and lowered it to her leg. Immediately, Lexi shut her eyes and bowed her head away. Law had to grin a little at that. "A nursing student who can't handle the sight of stitches?"

"It's not stitches by themselves. It's stitches on  _me_  that I can't take."

"Hmm." He hummed with that smile, beginning to pull the needle through her ruined skin. She made no sound of pain, and he was willing to bet she was losing feeling in her leg anyways. At least for the first few. After that, she winced with each tug of the needle.

"Oh yeah, we haven't forgiven you for just ditching us like that last time." Shachi pouted. "That was uncool."

Penguin stepped forward with a granola bar and a canteen, presumably with water. "Here, have some of this. And yeah, what's up with that? Why'd you leave?"

Hesitantly, she reached for the food, glancing up at Law just to be sure it was ok. He nodded before going back to stitching up her wound. Her hunger and thirst getting the better of her, she grabbed the granola bar and practically ripped it open with a desperation she hadn't known she was feeling, relishing the chocolate taste. It was stiff and stale after so long without having been eaten, but to her it was the best meal she could have asked for at that moment.

"I uh…" She started through a mouthful of granola. "I'm a loner, you know? Don't do well with groups long-term. Besides, didn't you see the fireworks I left you? I payed for my stay."

"They were quite handy awhile back. Shachi almost lit himself on fire though." Law supplied, glancing at his friend. The man in question sputtered.

""H-hey! You promised you'd never bring that up again!"

Law simply chuckled under his breath. He was about halfway through stitching her up, and Lexi was surprised by how little time he'd taken to do that much already. Well, he  _had_  been a doctor.

"I'm glad they were useful to you." She said, taking a long drink from the canteen. She wouldn't be greedy. They probably needed it much more than her. After she'd eaten the granola bar, she capped the lid to the canteen and handed it back to Penguin. He raised a brow.

"Don't you want more?"

"I'm fine. That's all I needed." She waved a hand in a dismissive gesture, all the while avoiding looking at her own leg.

"And what do you mean you aren't good with groups?" Shachi questioned. Lexi sighed. They asked too many things all at once.

"It's a hassle having too many people around…" She muttered, unable to look their way. Really, she was ashamed of her own cowardice, but she couldn't help it. They wouldn't really understand even if she did explain, right? Or maybe they would? It was hard to tell.

Shachi and Penguin were so open and honest, they wore their hearts on their sleeves. She was willing to bet that if their fearless leader wasn't around they wouldn't have survived long. Any attempt to gain pity or sympathy from them would be too easy. They'd probably fall for anything that presented itself in front of them. Maybe they could understand, or just chastise her for being stupid. Either way.

Law was a completely different person altogether.

So quick to distrust other people, it was no wonder he had survived this long, much less become the leader of a small group. If she hadn't crossed paths with him positively in that apartment, there was a large possibility that he would've killed her on site without a thought in any other situation. Getting on his bad side was not on her list of things to do.

Who even knew what he was thinking half the time? She'd been surprised when he even began to trust her just a little all those months back at the cabin, sharing dinner and saving her life. Ah, that's right. This would be the second time he'd done so.

Jeez, when she really thought about it, they'd done so much for her already. What had she done for them? Given them medicine? Some fireworks? How valuable would those be down the line? Not enough to call them friends most likely.

In the time she'd retreated to her thoughts, Shachi and Penguin had begun to converse between themselves again, leaving Law and Lexi to their tense silence. Realizing she'd been staring at Law this entire time, she looked away to the side before he noticed.

Unfortunately, he already had, not that she would know. Nor would he bring it up. Though, he did wonder what exactly she was thinking with that sad look in her eye.

After a few minutes, he pulled the last stitch closed and took a moment to inspect his handiwork. Grabbing the bottle of rubbing alcohol, he poured a small amount over the top to make sure nothing was left unsterilized. Making sure to keep a little bit left in the bottom, he capped the lid again and stood. "That should take care of your leg. Now let's see your arm."

Slowly turning in place so her arm faced him, she let him untie the crude bandage that was all she could manage. With expert fingers, he grabbed his knife and reached for the towel again. While most of it was soaked through with blood, there was still a large section on the side that was clean. Using the blade, he cut away the edge into a long strip.

"I'm not going to be able to walk for awhile with those stitches, huh?" She asked quietly, watching him use the rest of the alcohol on her bullet wound. At least it had gone all the way through, so there was no shrapnel or leftover metal to dig out.

He nodded, grabbing the strip of towel and wrapping it around her arm. "Did you expect to be back to running through the streets as soon as I fixed it?" Came his incredulous question. Lexi shook her head a negative.

"No, I just…needed to hear it I guess…" She shrugged noncommittally. "Don't know what exactly I'm going to do now, seeing as I can't walk."

There was silence for awhile, even Shachi and Penguin having gone quiet at the realization that Lexi was immobile for at least a few days. Staying here in the clinic without any supplies and zombies still roaming the streets was just as dangerous as being out there running through them. And leaving her alone to fend for herself felt wrong.

Lexi went silent for awhile as Law finished cleaning her arm and tying the bandage around it. What was she going to do now? Her situation was pretty fucked either way. Nor did she want to become a burden to them. They'd already done so much for her, how on earth was she supposed to repay them?

Staying here seemed just as bad though. Left in the dark to defend herself while immobile. But she didn't want to ask to go with them temporarily if they weren't going to offer it themselves. It just didn't feel right.

"We'll move you to a safer place." Law's voice cut through her thoughts, and she looked up in surprise. He'd stood and was putting the bottle of rubbing alcohol back into her own pack, zipping it closed.

"Y-you don't have to do-"

"One of us will have to help her walk." He continued, basically ignoring her half-hearted protests. "That body won't have lasted long, so the zombies have probably dispersed by now."

"I'll help her." Penguin offered, raising a hand and walking over beside her. She looked up and he sent her a reassuring smile, adjusting his pack so it was more comfortable. Somehow she couldn't help but smile back at that infectious gesture. Lexi stood and allowed him to wrap her arm around his neck. However it quickly became apparent that her lack of height would make this an issue.

"I'm probably gonna have to carry you. Is that alright?"

Sighing quietly to herself, she nodded. Penguin crouched down and slowly brought an arm underneath her knees, picking her up slowly so as not to rip the new stitches. "It doesn't hurt too much, does it?"

"No, it's fine. Thank you." Truth be told, she had to fight the urge to wince in pain, with the stretching of her skin around her leg, but it was tolerable and she would rather not waste too much of their time with her complaints.

Law double checked they'd grabbed everything and nodded, pulling out his sword at the ready. "Shachi, you're with me." They started heading towards where the boys had come in, but Lexi remembered one detail.

"There's an entrance at the back. That's how I got inside. It might be less dangerous, since it exits into an alleyway." Debating that a moment, Law nodded and turned the other way, finding the other entryway by her guidance.

* * *

 

There were a few zombies lingering outside of the back entrance, but other than that there were no other immediate threats. They tried sticking as close to the edge of the sidewalks as they could, skirting the further undead and never gaining their attentions.

At one point there was a group of six or seven that began to horde together towards them, but thanks to one of the last sticks of Lexi's fireworks that she'd saved for emergencies, they were able to misdirect most of any undead that tried going after them. Any that weren't deterred quickly lost their heads to Law's sword, or were stabbed in the brain by Shachi.

There was a large apartment building a block or so away, one with many stories, and Law chose that as the best place to bring her to. Several times during the trip there, Lexi asked Penguin if he needed her to try walking on her own, but he was adamant that she was light as a feather.

Shachi and Law took care of any zombies that got too close, and in no time at all, with a lot less hassle than Lexi had imagined it would take, they made it to the side of the apartment building. Through the window of the front entrance, they could see several zombies lingering around in the downstairs lobby, so Law decided that their entry method from earlier that day would be the safest.

"You just love fire escapes, don't you?" Lexi joked, glancing up at the metal contraption on the side of the building. This one had a ladder that reached all the way to the ground, thankfully.

"They're convenient and safer." Was all Law said.

It took a moment for Penguin to switch Lexi to his back so he could climb the ladder, and then they were going up to the top-most floor. Shachi and Law went first to clear out any zombies that might be in the room they emerged from, while Penguin held back in wait.

"Clear!" They heard Shachi call, and Penguin climbed up the rest of the way and entered the window that had been opened. He made sure not to let Lexi hit anything as he dropped down to the floor below and stood.

Law and Shachi were moving through the apartment and searching for supplies, leaving Penguin and Lexi in the bedroom alone. It was pretty simple; a desk, small bed, and an attached bathroom. It didn't look to be ransacked or scavenged, as most of the drawers were still closed and looked relatively untouched.

Penguin let Lexi down and she moved to sit on the bed. Her leg had begun to itch, but it was all she could do not to touch it. Her own medical knowledge prevented her from even attempting to break them. There was a 100% chance that Law would not appreciate her undoing all his work.

Penguin dropped her pack onto the bed beside her and she pulled out the spare jeans. Seeing what she'd grabbed, Penguin began to shuffle around awkwardly. It didn't take long for her to notice.

"Uh…do you want me to watch the door or something while you get dressed?" He pointed a thumb towards the door, scratching the back of his head. She almost laughed when he was unable to look at her.

Glancing down at the stitches for a long moment, she finally shook her head and placed the jeans to the side again. "I think I'll just keep these ones on a little longer, at least until it stops itching or I don't have to clean it."

It wasn't hard to see the relief that swept his face, and he returned to that easy grin. "I'm going to go help the others look for some stuff. Be right back. Shout if you need anything."

After a nod, she watched him leave the room. The sound of rummaging and shuffling feet around the apartment overpowered any of the groaning that came from the street below or in the floors underneath this one. It almost made her forget that the world had gone to shit. Almost.

One glance around the room didn't indicate a whole lot. It was pretty sparse for being a bedroom. The table surfaces held few personal affects, and there weren't any stray clothes lying around so it was hard to tell who exactly had lived there before. From the lack of decor and style Lexi was willing to bet it was a man, as anything that was on the counter was purely for functional value.

If the bedroom didn't solidify that fact, the near-spotless and clutter-free bathroom definitely did. Not once in her entire life had the brunette ever seen a woman's bathroom not stacked high with perfumes, toiletries, hair curlers, dryers, and straighteners. Her own included.

Law walked back into the room after several minutes holding something in his hand. "It isn't much, but this was all I could find that might help prevent an infection, unless you have some generic antibiotics with you." He said, holding out a half-used tube of vaseline. She took it gratefully and slowly shook her head.

"No, I used up most of my medicine forever ago."

"Keep it dry for the rest of the night, but in the morning and as often as you think you can spare, put a thin layer over the stitches. Too much and it may not allow it to breathe." He instructed, sounding very much like a normal doctor would at any regular checkup. Lexi grinned, then realized that she hadn't yet thanked them for everything they'd done for her.

"Thanks," she started, looking to the ground in embarrassment, "for, uh…saving my life. Again. And bringing me here."

Law only stared at her for a long moment, but whatever he was thinking behind those gray eyes was a complete mystery. The man would never cease to confuse her. For the life of her, she couldn't seem to look away, and the few seconds it did last felt like a lifetime to her.

Shifting on the bed, she looked down to the makeshift bandage around her arm. In the transit to the apartment, it had begun to loosen. "Um…could you tighten the bandage? It started to come loose on the way here."

Law nodded and moved beside her. One knee rested on the bed, he leaned down to reach for the ends of the fabric. Lexi watched his fingers work on the ties, mesmerized by that serious expression he always seemed to wear. What a mysterious guy.

This was probably the closest he'd ever been to her. And maybe it had something to do with the fact that she'd been alone for so long. Perhaps the lack of human company had caused her to feel a little stir-crazy, or loopy, but a part of her instinctively leaned forward and placed a quick, gentle kiss on his cheek. It was the barest hint of a kiss at all, a peck which trailed her lips against the stubble on his skin.

The effect was immediate. Having finished the bandage, Law's hand reached out to grab her neck with lightning speed, pushing her back out of reach. The click of a gun sounded just below her jaw, the cold circular tip of the barrel pressed into her delicate skin. His grip tight, he leaned closer with narrowed eyes.

He said nothing. As though through his stare alone he could discern what her intent had been with that kiss, the silence stretched on for a long time. Lexi wasn't too worried, but it wasn't exactly comfortable with the pistol being pressed into her chin, forcing her head back.

"It was just a thank you." She admitted quietly, watching him easily and slowly forming a small smile to stave off his suspicion. She knew she should be freaking out, terrified of him pulling the trigger, but because of some kind of reassurance she couldn't explain, besides the shot of adrenaline that shot through her at the action, there was no other cold spike of terror like she would expect.

In fact, it was somewhat thrilling. The heat of his hand on her neck, his face so close to hers, their breaths mixing in the space between them. You know. If you were into that sort of thing. Lexi couldn't exactly tell. Maybe the high of her bold move just then was fueling this desire to be so close to him. Maybe she was simply going a little nuts.

They could still hear Shachi and Penguin moving through the apartment not too far away, and perhaps that's what eventually snapped him out of the trance they'd both fallen into. Law eased up on the pressure against her jaw, lowering the gun and clicking the safety back on.

"Shachi and Penguin both seem to think you're their friend." He spoke in a whisper. Lexi blinked slowly, a sad smile alighting her face.

"Friends, huh?" It was a serious effort to fight off the sign that threatened to burst forth. She couldn't be sure how he'd take that reaction. "I already told them I'm not good with groups. I don't know why they trust me so much."

"I don't know either." He admitted, holstering the pistol to his belt. That grip on her jaw never let up, and he leaned forward a little more. "I still can't understand what makes you so…likable.

"No matter how illogical it may seem…you make people want to bring you closer." Law finished in a whisper. "And that makes you dangerous."

Lexi frowned, looking to the side as she contemplated his words. Now that he'd spelled it out fairly clearly, it all pretty much made sense why he was so hesitant to trust her. Not that she blamed him for it or anything, it just fit with Law's mentality perfectly. "I never really thought of it that way…"

Distracted by her own thoughts, she missed the flick of his eyes to her lips. It lasted only a single moment, before he chuckled under his breath and stood. She looked up with surprise at his amused expression, and he released his hold on her chin.

"Stay alive." Was all he said, straightening and turning to leave the room. Lexi watched his back as he left, never looking back and shutting the door behind him. A few moments later, Shachi and Penguin came in to say their goodbyes, sneaking her extra food and water without Law knowing. They'd compiled a good stack of supplies for her, piling them on the table beside the bed so she wouldn't need to get up to reach them.

They'd been nice enough to leave her with a long kitchen knife to possibly protect herself with if need be. It wasn't much, but Lexi appreciated it all the same. With one last wave and grin from the two friends, they shut the door and made their way out the front of the apartment. She could hear their footsteps for a few moments afterwards down the hall before they disappeared entirely from her hearing.

Smiling, she wondered the next time they would meet. Because she sincerely hoped they did.


	7. Excitement

The night sky above her was slowly beginning to bleed back into that lighter blue shade that said the sun was on it's way over the horizon in the distance. That purplish-blue, with a tint of black still in it that meant night wasn't all the way over. Her favorite color. The moon still shone brightly on the opposite end of the sky, displayed in it's full glory and giving quite a bit of light to the cityscape down below. The usual wreck and ruin was illuminated, casting long and dark shadows in alleyways and along broken walls.

Now that the light pollution was gone from the entire country-scratch that, probably the entire world-the night sky twinkled with millions of vibrant stars up above. They were much stronger, boasting their many numbers now that they didn't have to fight against the manufactured light on the ground to shine. Lexi's eyes filled with the sight, and if it wasn't for the low and insistent groans of the undead on the street below reminding her just where she was, she could almost convince herself everything up to that point had just been a bad dream she had yet to wake up from.

Too bad nothing was that easy anymore.

She sighed, slowly drifting her gaze downwards to the darkened forms of shambling zombies as they wandered the street. She only had a partial view from the railing of an abandoned upper-floor apartment ledge, but it was enough to show a pack of the undead things wandering aimlessly left and right, seemingly content to go wherever the wind directed them.

A few strands of her dirty, wiry hair fell into her line of sight, and she gently pushed them back out of her face. The dirt on her fingers was probably transferred to her face with the movement, but there wasn't much to be done about that. Running water was a little scarce nowadays.

A deep impulse made her dig in her pocket and pull out her trusty little compass that had helped her so much in the past few years. She held it up chest-level, watching the tiny needle wobble back and forth until it pointed steadily off to her left. She narrowed her eyes, wondering just how true she'd stayed North up to that point. Her nose hadn't been glued to the small tool during her travels, but every once in awhile she'd redirect her course to maintain North as best she could.

Not that the exact location of the air force base was ingrained in her brain or anything. That would be a problem she'd face once it came down to it. All she was running on was that it was North. The journey was taking a lot longer than she'd expected or wanted with all the setbacks and surviving and all. What she needed now was a map of the area, or a map of the state to help her along her way. Something she didn't have.

A warm wind blew past her into the open door to the bedroom beyond. Despite the pleasant temperature, it still managed to send a chill down her spine. Deciding that getting some rest was the best move at that moment, since no matter how long she thought about it it wouldn't present a solution to her problem, Lexi hopped off the railing onto the cement patio and headed back inside. The jump down made her wince, and she unconsciously snaked a hand down her leg to rub the area her wound had been.

It still bothered her a little, but it wasn't unbearable. Law really knew his stuff. For the first week and a half, when it had been too painful to move from that bed, it had sent stabbing pains up and down her body from even the tiniest movement. She'd been as careful as possible not to ruin the stitches the former doctor had kindly applied, not even daring to bend her leg at the knee, lest it stretch and pop the fishing wire. She doubted she had the stomach or the materials to redo his handiwork.

After that time when she was comfortable enough taking out the stitches, she was able to gingerly walk around, hoping that moving would aid in the recovery process. It had helped to some degree, but the wound itched something fierce. It was all she could do not to scratch the inflamed skin.

Somehow she'd avoided a major infection. The worst symptom that had presented was the inflammation and swelling, but that was to be expected. That vaseline stuff Law had found had proved to be invaluable as it happened. Yet another thing to thank him for.

Now, a month or so later, the leg was feeling a lot more flexible and numb to the pain that had become a very constant and daily reminder of her stupidity so long ago. At least she knew better now than to go mountain climbing and nearby buildings.

Silently wandering over to the bed that had been her home for the past few hours, she plunked down onto the dingy covers and stretched out on the mattress. God, her back was killing her. She let out a groan as the strain was taken off by laying flat. It felt amazing just to be off of her feet though.

Placing her knife on the side table, still within arm's reach in case of emergency, but not on her person so it wouldn't stab her in her sleep, Lexi reached up and tucked her hands behind her head, staring up at the ceiling in thought, returning to her previous problem.

Where on earth was she going to get a map? The logical part of her doubted there was anything genuinely useful lying around the closest department or outdoorsman's store. She'd seen something similar in town on her way to this apartment, but the windows had all been broken with graffiti sprayed on the door. Nothing screamed 'ransacked' like the blood splatters along the walls and knocked over shelves inside.

That was a no-go. Which left few other options, really. Unless there was a big state map lying around in a permanent location somewhere…

She narrowed her eyes, memory locking on something she'd seen in the past. Back in the day, she'd often taken the public transportation to her medical college, trying to reduce her cost in gas consumption. At the bus station, there had always been a big map of the area posted, showing the bus routes to and from major points in the city. Back in her home town, there'd been one at each bus station…

Perhaps if there was something similar around here, it could point her in the right direction, or at the very least she could figure out where exactly she was. Without google, this proved to be more difficult than she'd thought possible.

"Sleep now. Find a map tomorrow." She said aloud groggily, forcing her eyes shut as she shifted to find a more comfortable spot on the bed. It creaked with protest at each shimmy.

Not too worried about zombies finding her on the eighth floor, behind two different locked and barricaded doors, Lexi found a rare moment of deep sleep that came with the kind of exhaustion only survivors of great strain could get after days without.

* * *

There really was no way to ensure that she'd wake up at a certain time anymore. Clock and phone alarms obviously were of no use. The watch she'd once owned had broken long ago. The search for a replacement had proved fruitless; most of the batteries that had been included on the display models had run out of juice ages ago.

So it was some time in the mid-morning that Lexi assumed she finally arose from slumber. Without working clocks anywhere telling the time was almost impossible. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, grabbing for her knife and cast a sweeping gaze around the bedroom just in case. There was nothing. Still, the brunette took an extra moment or two to simply listen. After a full minute or so of complete silence, save for the ever present groaning of course, always there at the edge of your hearing no matter where you were, she finally relaxed a little and swung her legs to the side of the mattress.

There was no need to undress or change clothes. She had no other things to wear anyway, and she'd simply worn her usual pants and shirt to bed. It made things easier that way.

A quick perusal of the bedroom found her a hairbrush, complete with old hair from the original owner. Making a face, she carefully pulled the leftover hair from the bristles, dropping them in disgust on the floor by her feet. With a brief prayer that whoever it had belonged to hadn't had lice or some other affliction, she tried pulling her own brown locks into order before tying it up around a hairband. There was only so much she could do, but it would do for now.

Once she was more put together she wandered over to her pack on the dresser. Another bland and unfulfilling breakfast.

"Not like there's much else…" She muttered to herself as she pulled out the half-eaten sleeve of saltine crackers. Most of them were crushed or broken, though still edible. Taking three out of the remaining handful left, she twisted the top of the plastic wrapping and replaced it in her pack, searching for one of her water bottles.

The weight of the water inside the bottle was lighter than she was comfortable with. Grimacing at the low amount sloshing at the bottle of the see-through container, another sigh escaped her lips. Supplies seemed to run out far too quickly.

Lexi spared herself only a sip or two, capping it and putting the rest away for 'emergency.' Whatever that meant nowadays. Her stomach growled in protest, demanding the nourishment it was being denied. Lexi ignored it as usual.

The sun was beginning to shine through the window, casting light across the room and warming her skin. A few steps carried her back to the small patio outside the apartment, and she looked out over the street. Nothing out of the ordinary, oh, besides the zombies. But that was normal compared to everything else. Now that the sun was peeking above the horizon, it was much easier to see the street and the threats that occupied it. Moving around would be much less of a hassle.

Returning to the inside of the apartment, Lexi double checked all of the containers and drawers one more time, packing the pair of socks and an item or two in her bag to take with. There wasn't much. Really, there never was anymore.

Hiking the strap further up her shoulder, Lexi grabbed her knife and stuck it in the holster on her hip, patting down her pockets before nodding in satisfaction. With one more deep breath she began taking down the barricade in front of the door to go on her way.

* * *

With two more sweeps of his sword, Law decapitated the remaining undead that approached them, watching as they fell with thuds to the ground with the other three bodies. Shachi and Penguin relaxed from their defensive stances, knives in hand, before sheathing the small blades and looking down at the pile of killed undead.

"Does it seem like these guys are getting slower?" Penguin asked with a tilted head, stepping over a puddle of dark red blood oozing from the head wound of one of the bodies. He'd rather not get the stuff all over his shoes. "Either that or they're just getting stupider."

"Idiot. Stupider isn't a word." Shachi defended, chuckling at his friend's…stupidity.

He scowled and shook his head. "It totally is. Look in the dictionary."

"Oh yeah, I'll get on that. As soon as I find one." Came Shachi's sarcastic reply. "It'll be right next to 'Supposably' and 'Expresso.'" He air-quoted, rolling his eyes in amusement.

"Hold up. Expresso is totally a word." Penguin looked affronted, almost offended even.

"Nah, it's  _espresso._ Not expresso."

"Lies."

" _Es-press-o._  It's not that hard. _"_  Shachi articulated, gesturing with his hand on every syllable. One would think he was talking to a five-year-old who couldn't understand.

While his two friends continued to bicker between themselves, Law sighed inaudibly and cleaned off the blade of his sword with a stray piece of fabric. Normally he'd be worried about all the noise attracting more zombies, but seeing as they were simply walking down the middle of the highway, a city in the distance with no apparent threat around, he wasn't too concerned.

His eyes scanned the cars on the opposite side of the road barrier, seeing dark patches of dried crimson stains on almost every vehicle. Windshields were broken, smashed, even missing completely in some cases. Rusted metal. Doors lay eternally open. Side mirrors broken. Tires flat. Odds and ends had long sat on the concrete, abandoned during whatever horrors had taken place so long ago. There wasn't a body to be seen, long ago eaten away.

At first, the sight of seeing the endless line of cars forever abandoned away from the direction of the city was almost comical when you compared it to the side of the road heading into the city; desolate, bare, and completely clear of cars. During the outbreak, the initial panic had caused waves of people to attempt to flee by vehicle. Along with the rest of the citizens in the entire country. Where they had expected to escape to was beyond him. Nowhere was safe enough to run or hide. In the end, the highway ultimately created a much higher casualty count than it had done good, providing a perfect scenario for the zombies to come through and devour humans by the thousands.

He blinked, hearing a particularly loud outburst from Penguin somewhere behind him. The sound pulled him from his thoughts, and he frowned as he realized he'd been standing there, staring at a tipped over carseat for several minutes. With a roll of his eyes, Law sheathed his long blade and began walking in the direction of the town, leaving the other two behind. The sooner they got off of the road and into a temporary shelter, the better.

"How did you ever pass an English class?" He could hear Shachi ask incredulously, further away with every step he took.

"Well it's not like those things even matter nowadays anyway…What? Don't roll your eyes at…Hey, Law! Wait up!"

The sound of running feet behind him made his smirk just a little, and he turned his head to watch Shachi and Penguin catch up to him, slowing down as they approached. "You just gonna leave us like that?" Penguin questioned with a wounded expression.

Law shrugged. "If it gets me some peace and quiet? Perhaps."

"Hmph." Shachi crossed his arms and shrugged, deigning not to respond to that comment. After that they at least resorted to bickering quietly under their breaths as they walked closer and closer to the city looming ahead. It saved Law a bit of his patience, if only a little.

Law's eyes drifted upwards to the tops of the large office buildings, standing taller than all the other businesses surrounding it. Once upon a time the windows would have gleamed against the sunlight, and the noise of cars and the cityscape would have been heard all the way from where they now stood. Now, it was no more than an empty shell of what was once a hub of human activity, decaying as time went on.

Just like everything else that was left over. Dilapidated, old, worn, and broken.

They passed the fading green sign on their right.

One mile to Morgantown.

* * *

It took most of the morning, dodging zombies and keeping to the less dangerous alleys, to find the bus station she'd been looking for. Of course, it had to be on the very opposite end of the city, and that was after having to backtrack a few times on the same streets just to be sure she didn't miss anything. Thankfully most of the signs for bus stops and simple city facilities were still around, otherwise it might have taken several days just to find. It was a strange place for it, considering you'd think it to be smack dab in the middle of a city, but things had never really been built to make sense regardless.

The bus terminal took up the whole end of the block, with large awning-style structures set up where the buses would have waited, neatly lined for the passengers to board. Now all that remained was a few crookedly-parked buses with their doors wide open. Most of the side windows on them were busted.

Behind the main lot of parking spots was the main terminal building, a mostly-glass structure with two stories. Surprisingly, it looked relatively intact for being made of what it was. And from her spot across the street there didn't appear to be a huge interior mess of debris and/or blood and gore like she'd expected. Maybe everyone had simply overlooked the place. On the outside it certainly didn't look like it'd be a location of great value anyways. All the better for her.

Zombies roamed the area, of course, but there'd been more in the heart of the shopping district she'd passed on the way there. Most of the undead wandered the edge of the bus lot, or straggled around at the edges of the nearby street. A few had found their way close to the glass building, but if she was quiet and careful they wouldn't pose too high of a risk.

The zombie she'd killed just a moment ago lay dead on the ground beside her, blood from the stab wound in it's head trailing onto the concrete wall. She glanced over across the wide expanse of the road, pursing her lips with distaste at simply walking out and attracting all that attention. The noise wasn't the main problem, but the smell. They'd sniff her out fairly easily if she decided to waltz right over.

With another glance at the dead undead, she sighed deeply and stooped to take off the jacket of the man who'd once been human. He was bigger in stature than she, and the vest drowned her in the fabric, but it smelled like death itself, which would hopefully mask the stench of her own tender flesh.

It had taken her awhile to figure out that if you smelled like the zombies they would feel less inclined to attack you, perhaps a lot longer than she'd care to admit. It was a disgusting and unsavory tactic anyways, and Lexi tried to avoid using it whenever possible.

Donning the sticky and foul vest over her already-dirty clothing, Lexi took out her knife once more and steadied her breathing. One step than two, out into the open. Then a few more. A couple dozen steps towards the bus station and still, the unmistakable sound of zombie groaning at the sight or smell of a meal was nowhere to be heard. The hair on her body stood on end as she got closer and closer to the terminal, now no more than a few hundred feet away. Less than a minute and she'd be just a tad safer. Assuming there wasn't a horde of zombies waiting for her inside the glass building of course.

The seconds felt like days, each step seemingly thunderous in her own ears, as if each crunch of dead grass under her feet would alert the horde surrounding to attack, but nothing happened. Nothing, even as she passed the first abandoned bus and angled towards the front entrance of the station.

It was only once her hand touched the handle of the door that she let out the pent up breath she'd unwittingly held, pulling it open with a loud creak. The sound made her jump, and before any nearby undead could investigate the sound, she was inside and locking it behind her, twisting the little knob to click the metal tumbler into place securely.

Lexi placed her back to the door. The interior was dark, but the light of the sun streamed in from the walls of glass, so it was easy enough to see. Besides stacks and stacks of papers detailing bus routes and other information scattered about on the floor, there wasn't much in way of ruin and disaster. Looked almost normal.

With a glance behind her as she quickly shrugged out of the man's coat, confirming that a few of the zombies had indeed heard the creak of the door and wandered closer, she double checked the lock and wandered a few steps inside. Once they were intent on getting to her, she was certain it wouldn't take much to break through, especially if they piled up. They didn't seem aggravated enough to go banging on the glass quite yet, so that was a relief. She was still safe. At least for the moment.

Tightening her grip on the knife, Lexi looped around to behind the reception desk, scanning the mess of black computer screens and binders tossed about for any indication of a map. When the initial search turned up empty, she frowned and shook her head, crouching down to look at the floor of clutter. No sign.

"Dammit. Come on, it's gotta be somewhere…" She muttered softly, standing again and searching every inch of the front lobby, including the mess of paper that had been overturned and flung across the room. Still nothing. This was looking more and more like a waste of time with every useless bit of paper she crumpled and tossed aside in frustration. What kind of bus station didn't have a simple map?

From the roof of a nearby building, a man grinned behind a pair of binoculars, watching the young woman steal the vest from the dead man and put it on, nervously making her way across the open street before sneaking inside of the bus station. His two companions stood beside him expectantly.

* * *

"Well, well…" Law muttered in amusement, finally lowering the binoculars and standing to his full height. "You were right, Shachi. It is Lexi."

"Totally called it. There was no mistaking that brown ponytail." The man fist bumped Penguin, the both of them looking decidedly happier to learn that they'd been right. "Didn't I say she'd make it no problem?"

"At least she's not afraid to get down and dirty or anything. That vest was probably disgusting. Ew."

"Smart woman." Law whispered under his breath, loud enough only for him to hear.

"Hey…think she's willing to get down and dirty in another sense?" Penguin's voice asked. A thump. "Ouch!"

"Honestly, what's wrong with you?" Penguin questioned in disgust. Then, a moment later. "Lexi's a classy lady. You'd probably have to save her life or something."

"We already did once!" Shachi reminded.

"Oh. Right. Think of something else then."

"You think she has any lace…you know…"

"No way, why would she have any with her right now? It's not practical." Penguin propped his chin over one hand, tilting his head curiously. "Besides, I can see her as being more of a silk and satin kind of woman…I mean, back in the day of normal she probably had stuff like that."

Shaking his head at the strange conversation, Law dusted off his clothes and began walking towards the fire escape leading down to the alley below. "Are you both going to stand there talking, or would you like to go down and see her?"

Both men stopped in surprise, staring at the retreating back of their leader. It was a little hard to believe that the suggestion was coming from  _him_  in the first place. After all, he was always going off about how they couldn't trust her readily despite having helped them in the past. Maybe as time went on he'd had a change of heart.

After a moment of their silence, Law turned and raised his brows. "Well?"

"A-ah, right! Coming!" Shachi agreed, trotting after their leader with Penguin only a step behind him.

* * *

No amount of searching the lobby was going to find her a map, she eventually came to realize. With a deep sigh, she stood and walked towards the bathroom at the end of the room just in case. Which, rather obviously, ended up having nothing of use inside either.

"What a fucking waste…" She kicked the receptionist's desk in anger, spilling a few more loose papers to the floor in the process, where they landed with a flutter. Leaning her elbows on the edge of the counter, she ran dirty fingers through her hair, frustration being let out with the annoyed breath of air she'd sucked in. Why couldn't just  _one_  thing go her way? Just one thing was all she asked.

Far away down the street, Lexi suddenly heard a distinct  _pop_  of some kind, and she tensed against the counter. It seemed too small and high-pitched to be a gun, but one never knew. A popgun? Airsoft rifle? It didn't echo as far as a normal bullet would. Even as she searched her thoughts, another one popped in the same direction. Just to be safe, she ducked behind the reception and crawled under the desk, knife at hand prepared for anything.

The groans that was constant background noise began to lessen, and Lexi was willing to bet the noise had gotten their attentions even from this distance. They were probably all being drawn to whatever had made the sound as she waited. Well, at least that solved her problem of escaping this place. Small blessings.

Hesitantly crawling out from under the counter, she peeked around the corner to look out the glass entrance, seeing a stray zombie or two walking towards something to the left of the bus station. Frowning, the brunette hesitated in moving. Stay or go? So far she couldn't find anything of use in the bus station. Perhaps it would be better to simply search somewhere else.

Movement further down the street caught her eye, and she watched three figures appear from an alley, making their way towards her location. Eyes widening, she scrambled to hide behind the counter again, clutching her knife to her chest in panic. Shit, there were three of them against one of her. Maybe they were friendly? Doubtful.

Heart pounding against her ribcage in a painful rhythm, Lexi dry swallowed several times to calm her nerves. She'd locked the door. Unless they were willing to risk causing a loud racket by breaking the glass, if they even could, then she was safe. At least, that what she was trying to convince herself.

The sound of metal catching against metal indicated they had reached the door and were currently tugging on the handle, only to realize that it was latched. She heard them struggle against the barricade, before the sound of someone knocking on glass could be heard.

"Lexi? You in there?" Someone said in a harsh whisper, trying to remain quiet enough not to attract the zombies' attentions. Before she could really process how in the hell they could know her name, the knocking continued. "It's us! You know, Shachi, Penguin, and Law!"

Daring a glance around the edge of the counter, Lexi took in the three forms of the men that had become somewhat of her friend during the past many months, and with an amused shake of her head she came crawling from behind the desk and stood, jogging over to the door to unlock it.

With a flick of her wrist the twisted the knob and opened the glass door. With a low chuckle, she watched them hurry inside. It took only another moment to lock it once more, before she turned and inspected her unexpected companions. "Honestly, I shouldn't even be surprised anymore. How'd you even know I was here?"

"We saw you sneak you way across the street over to here, and thought we'd drop by and say hi." Penguin admitted, glancing down at the discarded vest by the door. "Bet you were so excited to wear that."

Lexi shuddered, thinking back to the dead guy she'd snagged it from. "Overjoyed." Came her sarcastic response, and she toed it with her boot with a curled lip.

"How's your leg?" Shachi suddenly asked, looking down at where she'd been injured the last time they'd met. Following his gaze, Lexi displayed her jean-covered leg, turning it this way and that and even bending it at the knee.

"A lot better. Still hurts sometimes and there's gonna be a permanent scar, but if not for you guys it would have been a lot worse." She smiled a thanks, looking them over each in turn. "You guys don't look too bad yourselves."

Law crossed his arms and slowly perused the lobby of the station. "Supply-wise, we've been better. Though this isn't the worst we've had to deal with." He gazed around at all the crumpled paper and frowned, but didn't say anything about it.

Recognizing the curiosity in his eyes, Lexi kicked at a few closer paper balls with a huff. "I was looking for a map of the surrounding area or something. Anything, really. I honestly have no idea where I am or where I'm going. All I've got is a compass."

"Still trying to find that base?" He guessed, and she nodded. "Any idea what city?"

"Dayton. Somewhere in Western Ohio. I think." She gave a little chuckle. "I don't even know if I'm in Ohio yet, to be honest. That's how lost I am…"

"Shachi?" Penguin asked, turning to his friend with an expectant look.

Shachi unhooked his pack from his shoulders and crouched to the ground, unzipping the top. "Well, let's check, shall we?"

"You've got a map?" She asked with relief, so glad that her luck seemed to turn from piss -poor to unbelievably good in a matter of minutes.

"Of course we have a map." Shachi replied smugly, grabbing the folded up piece of paper and unraveling it into a large map of West Virginia and a few surrounding states, Ohio included. "Alright, let's see what we've got here."

After it was unfurled, the map took up several feet of space both ways, and Shachi knelt before it to lean in, smoothing down the paper to inspect the names printed there. From what Lexi could see, it was very detailed, and she wondered to herself where they had gotten such a valuable thing.

"We're in Morgantown, West Virginia right now." Law muttered as he recalled the road sign from earlier that day, gazing down at the map along with the others.

"Not even in Ohio yet?" Lexi deflated a little, slumping her shoulders down. She'd expected to be further towards her destination, but she hadn't even left her home state yet. Suddenly her endlessly long journey seemed all the longer with it put into perspective.

"Don't worry, you're pretty close." Penguin offered, seeing the look of defeat in her face and hoping to alleviate it if only a little. She recognized his attempt and smiled gratefully in return.

Shachi placed a finger on the town they were in and on Dayton, Ohio, next referring to the distance examples in the key down below. "Looks like you've got another…200 miles or so."

Lexi let out a groan, rubbing her face. "Do I keep North?" She finally asked.

Shachi squinted at the map and calculated the best way to travel to get there the fastest. "Nah, it's almost directly West." He waved her over to look closer at the map. Crouching down beside him, she followed his finger along a bold red line, indicating a main roadway. "If you follow I-70 up until 235, right here," he tapped the map, "then you should be able to find your way there. That's the fastest route from what I can see."

"Too bad there aren't any usable cars around. Otherwise this'd be a lot faster…" She bemoaned, standing from her crouch to stretch her legs. Putting all that weight on her previously injured limb was beginning to make it ache.

Shachi shrugged as he refolded the map, finally placing it carefully back into his bag to close again. "Even if you don't stick completely to I-70, keep heading West and you'll eventually find your way there. Just don't stray too North or South and you should be ok."

"Thank you, really. You just saved me a lot of trouble." She smile sweetly, looking in his eyes sincerely. The hatted man blushed, looking away sheepishly.

"It's no problem. It was just cool to see you again." Penguin offered, and Lexi turned her smile towards the other man.

Subtly, she spared a glance at Law, who was keeping a watch on the empty bus terminal outside silently. A part of her was a little disappointed he wasn't paying attention, but she ignored it. It didn't matter anyways.

Unbeknownst to her, Penguin saw the tiny, hopeful gleam in her eyes with that one look at their leader, but he hid his amusement at that development well. This was new. He wondered just what she felt for their friend and how far she would be willing to take it, under the right circumstances.

Lexi, of course, had no idea what was going through the man's mind and was therefore unconcerned as she stretched out her back with a loud pop.

"Well, figuring out where to go was the only reason I even came to this place. I should be on my way, but it was nice seeing you guys again."

"Have you searched the back rooms?" Law inquired, nodding in the direction of the employees-only door behind the reception.

"No, I figured there wouldn't be anything of use in a place like this." Lexi shrugged indifferently, resignedly stooping to retrieve the bloody vest from the floor. It would be better safe than sorry. By now, the zombies will have become disinterested in whatever had made that noise from before. Frowning, she halted on that thought.

"What were all those loud pops from before? I'm assuming they came from you guys."

Law reached in his pocket and pulled out a small cylindrical object. After a moment she recognized it as one of the fireworks she'd given them before. "These things are more valuable than I first thought." He smirked.

"Wow, you've rationed them well if you still have some left."

"This is the last one, actually." Then, he sighed. "If you're not going to scavenge, then we'll see what we can find." He made to move towards the back but Penguin jumped up with a start.

"We'll go have a look around. You take a rest, Law. We've got this covered." Penguin raised a hand and tugged on Shachi's sleeve, pulling him in the direction of the door. Lexi watched him send a secretive grin her way, before hurrying away and out of sight with his friend in tow.

Confused, she raised a brow in Law's direction, but was met with an equally bewildered arched brow. "Uh…what's up with them?" She stuck a thumb in the two companions' direction but he merely shook his head.

There was a moment of heavy silence, slightly awkward. "So where are you guys going to go? Have you even had a destination in mind this whole time?" She asked curiously.

"Who knows?" Law shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We'll go wherever our feet take us, I suppose."

"Hmm." Came her noncommittal reply, content with his vague and yet firm answer. In the short time she'd known him, she'd come to quickly discover that he was not one to disclose information so readily. You apparently had to earn every little scrap he threw you, regardless of it's relevance.

Lexi readjusted her pack and watched the outside for a moment, feeling a strange hesitation to leave this place. It was probably because her…friends were here, if she dared use that word. But even if they didn't feel that way with her, she knew she would always consider them as such. They'd earned her trust and respect a few times over. It seemed getting your life saved a few times did that.

With a rueful smile, she slowly shook her head. "Guess this means I owe you yet again."

Law hummed, stepping forwards until he was parallel with her a few feet to her right. They both watched a solitary zombie walk the furthest edge of the opposite sidewalk.

"Makes you wonder how I'm ever gonna be able to thank you for everything you guys have done."

Law spared her a glance. "You're not going to try to kiss me again, are you?" He asked seriously, though when she risked a sideways glance at his face, she could see the amusement glinting in his eye. Not even his usual stoic countenance could hide it. Maybe that was on purpose, simply to watch her squirm.

"You know, there are nicer ways of telling me I'm bad at saying thank you. Or kissing. Or both." Came her sarcastic quip. It took more effort than she cared to admit to prevent a blush from rising on her cheeks. Instead, she chuckled to herself to brush it off, as if he'd made a joke, but shook her head slowly. "Even if I  _were_  to kiss anyone, it'd be Shachi. He's the one with the map, yeah?"

His silence was his only reply, but Lexi was already feeling vulnerable enough already to look over again. Her confidence only got her so far, and this was far enough. Still, she didn't want to leave without a goodbye this time.

"Tell the others I said bye." After a pause, the brunette gave him one more stare, a genuine smile gracing her lips. "You've got a good group here, Law. A nice little family. If anyone's gonna survive in this hell, it'll be you guys." She hoped the envy and sadness wouldn't leak into her voice as she said it.

He said nothing, and she gave one last slanted smile. "See ya." With a little sigh she turned and stepped closer to the door, reaching for the handle.

A hand on her shoulder halted her progress, and she looked back to see Law much closer than before. She turned to face him, stepping back to inadvertently hit the door behind her, and Law closed the distance to prevent her escape. Opening her mouth to ask what was wrong, his hand holding her chin stopped any words that threatened to leave her lips.

His proximity made her heart clench, and that her breathing came out uneasy, though she tried to hide it.

Her eyes searching his gray ones for any sort of sign of what he was thinking, but nothing was evident behind those colorless orbs, which flicked back and forth in time as he studied her face carefully. The amusement from before had all but disappeared, replaced instead by a strange and distant curiousness and…some deeper, unknown emotion that Lexi couldn't name.

Nothing was spoken between them, and the heavy silence persisted even as Law swept down and placed his lips in a chaste kiss against her forehead, as brief and innocent as hers had been on his cheek the last time they'd met. She barely had time to enjoy the moment for what it was before he'd pulled away again. The excitement that had blossomed when he'd leaned forwards dampened a little in disappointment, but that buzz still wouldn't go away.

"What was-"

"Simply a thank you." He teased with an easy smirk, the amusement suddenly returning in full swing, as if the whole kiss had only been a joke or trick. As if to mock her previous actions in that apartment. Perhaps that was what he'd intended it to be, while she was expecting more.

…What was she even hoping to expect anyways? She was as good as a stranger to him. And here she was hoping for the ridiculous. That little thought doused what pleasure she'd managed to garner from the whole encounter, and Lexi was able to pull off a reasonable grin, hoping it didn't look too forced or fake.

"Stay safe." She finally said, reaching down to unlock the door and pushing the handle open to the outside. Without looking back, she trekked away from the building and pulled out her compass, set on finding West to follow it.

* * *

_What were you even thinking?_

With a scowl in the brunette's direction, Law locked the door behind her and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Damn him. He'd managed to remain neutral on the whole issue of the wandering Lexi up to this point. Despite meeting her several times before, and accepting her help on a few occasions, he'd been able to keep his emotions in check. It was one of the few things he prided himself with.

So why was it that whenever she was around things seemed much more complicated than they actually were? The fact that he'd actually had to  _restrain_  himself from flat out kissing her properly was something to say about that particular woman. In a fortunate moment of strength, he'd been able to settle for a more innocuous place than her lips, but still, the urge  _had_  been there. And that was worrisome.

A siren. Vixen. Beckoning poison in a pretty package. All things he should take care to avoid described her and yet somehow he found himself willingly bringing her closer despite his best intentions. His emotions were urging him to tread the thorny path of attachment, ignoring any and all barbs that would cause him pain and snake around his mind in the process. Clouded judgement. Misguided trust. That's all he could see it turning into.

He was well aware that humans had basic primal needs that if unfulfilled for too long would begin to consume their every waking thought. Never had he worried that he himself would fall into such a sorry state to actually pine for a woman. One he barely knew, no less.

Resolutely, he reasoned that the less he had to do with the infernally genuine and intriguing woman, the better. Turning away, he went in search of his two companions, for all intents and purposes banishing her very existence from his mind until he could rationally examine the situation.

_To hell with her._

* * *

Sometime later that day, while wandering the open highway leading out of the city, Lexi found herself once again thinking back to her meeting wth the three men. Well, one of them in particular, the one who confused and interested her to no end in a frustrating and satisfying way. God, why was she so sentimental?

Not for the first time, her hand drifted up to rub at the spot on her forehead he'd kissed, as if she could still feel them against her skin in a phantom sensation. She recalled her own pounding heart, and the way she'd wanted to grab onto his shirt and pull him closer.

It had been over a year since she'd actually slept with anyone, but honestly, what was with her? Her old friends from back then would have probably called her a skank, with love of course. Lexi never imagined herself the type to crave that sort of human interaction. Sure, sex was great, the few times she'd had it with ex-boyfriends, but nothing mind-blowing or earth-shattering. Nothing that warranted this sort of behavior.

It was honestly creepy, the sort of attachment this was turning out to be. Creepy on her part. That satisfied little smirk right after he'd kissed her, that should have been a sign as to what sort of guy he was. As if he could ever feel that same way. Especially in the sort of world they lived in now. Wishful thinking that would only lead her to heartbreak.

Sure, she had this little… _thing_  for him, she supposed. Lexi was not some schoolgirl with a crush who was going to deny it. Obviously there was something there, or else all this excitement wouldn't be there. It just made things very complicated.

Frowning, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. If she was lucky, she'd never see them again and she wouldn't have to worry about it, even if it made her a little sad that they'd never meet again. It was for the best this way. For everyone.

And, just to make herself feel better, she imagined he was the 'love 'em and leave 'em' sort of guy. It worked to some degree, and she snorted.

_To hell with him._


	8. Gratitude

In the restlessness of sleep, Lexi frowned. Something…someone…whatever it was…had woken her. One second she was caught up in her fitful and strange dreams of comforting spotted hats, wailing babies that left her guilt-ridden, and the groaning of undead. The next, well…the sensation of something digging around her jacket pocket became more and more distinguishable by the second.

"Hurry up!" A hushed male voice urged, somewhere further away. He sounded almost panicked, worried. As if he had anything to worry about, considering  _she_  was the one being robbed.

"Shh!" Came the quieter, more feminine response directly above her. Whoever was rummaging around her pocket by the sound of it. Lexi thought about snapping her eyes open just to startle them, but who knew how that would end. Probably not well.

Resisting the urge to tense up or sigh, Lexi waited until she felt the woman above her reach over to the other hoodie pocket. The distinct feeling of someone bending over her body to reach for something was strong, and in an instant, Lexi opened her eyes, grabbed the woman's arms and rolled them over away from the man.

"Nami!" The other one cried, a dark-skinned man with a distinctively long nose. That was all the impression she could get before being preoccupied by her current hostage.

"Shit!" The woman cried, orange hair flying around her face in a flurry of motion as Lexi planted her back to the wall, gripping the flailing woman across her shoulders and holding her knife to her throat. Her free hand took hold of the woman's wrist and pinned it behind her, discouraging from any sort of retaliation. Predictably, her male companion held her own rifle, no doubt picked up from the corner where she'd left it, in his hands, pointed shakily at the two of them.

"Put the gun down and she won't get hurt!" Lexi demanded, pressing the knife a little more insistently against the woman's neck, more for her own benefit than anything. If they believed she'd do something then the likelihood of them retaliating lessened just a bit. The woman trembled in her hold, but otherwise didn't speak. She couldn't see her face, but by the looks of the man's own facial expressions, she must have been mouthing something to him.

"Who are you?" She demanded, eyes piercing those of the man before her. He swallowed thickly.

"U-Usopp. I'm Usopp. And that's Nami." He added as an afterthought, realizing she was probably referring to both of them. "We're…we're thieves…" He admitted, seeing no other way to phrase it. They'd been caught in the act so really, there was no point in denying the obvious.

"'I'd rather not kill either one of you, so put the gun down." Lexi reiterated when Usopp still made no move. He gulped, eyes wide as they flicked back and forth between the women. Then, seeing no way to gain an upper hand, he nodded slowly and crouched on the ground.

"Alright, alright! Just…don't hurt her." He pleaded, gently placing the rifle onto the ground at his feet and standing to back away a bit. Lexi nodded, not feeling quite as nervous with the rifle put away. Still, now wasn't the time to let her guard down. Releasing Nami's wrist, Lexi reached into her holster and pulled her pistol out, undoing the safety with a click.

The orange-haired woman gasped a little as the brunette pointed her weapon at Usopp across the room. Lexi sighed and eased up a little on the knife. "Empty your pockets of what you took." She ordered Nami, eyes never leaving the dark-skinned man.

Reluctantly she did so, dropping the few things that had been stolen from Lexi's person. Once that was done, she waited a few seconds, just to be sure. "Everything." Lexi said again, not believing her. Nami sighed gently and finally dug out the two boxes of matches from her pocket and added that to the pile of things she'd snatched.

Satisfied that was everything from her, Lexi nodded to Usopp and jerked her gun in the direction of a big duffel on his back. "Your turn. Open the bag."

Face blatantly displaying his horror, he did so, pulling a few bigger items that they'd apparently lifted from her. Frowning, she noticed some cans of food that she didn't recognize, as well as a water bottle that wasn't familiar.

"Just take these and don't kill her. Please. It's all we can spare." He begged, holding up his hands and backing away slowly. Shaking her head Lexi gestured back to the additional items. Now, this didn't seem right.

"Keep them. They aren't mine." Seeing his obvious confusion and surprise, she sighed and pulled Nami to her feet slowly, though never truly releasing her neck of her knife. "Just give me back what you stole and leave. Don't bother me again."

"Seriously?" Nami asked, speaking for the first time. "You're not gonna kill us?"

"I already told you, I don't want to hurt you if you don't give me a reason to. Just don't try to rob me again and be on your way." Lexi said, watching as the man made no move to grab his…her, weapon. Deciding that she'd have to be the one to break this standstill they were now in, she slowly pulled the knife away from Nami's neck and tucked it into her hip sheath, giving the orange-haired woman a gentle push in her companion's direction. "Go."

Without hesitation, she hurried to his side, turning to regard Lexi with calculating eyes. Lexi kept her pistol trained on them, waiting for them to decide that there was nothing else left for them here. This stare-down was getting awkward, and slightly creepy on the woman's part.

"Why would you let us go?" Usopp asked.

"Look, I get it, alright?" Lexi almost snarled. Why couldn't they just leave? Their prolonged presence with seemingly no purpose here was putting her on edge. It's like they were asking her to change her mind or something. "You're trying to survive somehow, and from the way you didn't just kill me outright, you probably don't like hurting others either. Right?" She tested, just to be sure.

Slowly, they both nodded.

"So, you keep your stuff. I'll keep mine. We go our separate ways, and go rob someone else. Preferably someone who deserves it, ok?"

They were both silent for a long time. "What's your name?" Usopp finally asked.

"Lexi."

More silence, before he reached down to put away their own cans of food and water. Lexi was still wary, but he only zipped up the duffel bag to throw on his back. Nami didn't appear to know what to do, standing there wringing her hands

"Just go." Lexi demanded again, so close to simply leaving herself to get away from them. This was almost the strangest run-in with strangers she'd had yet. Almost.

Finally deciding to take her advice, both of the thieves ran out the open door of the bedroom in the small apartment, leaving a frustrated and perplexed Lexi standing against the wall of the bedroom. She let out a pent up breath, tucking the pistol into her waistband. Her eyes took in the piles of her stuff now scattered on the floor where the two had dropped them. Stealing a look at her empty-looking backpack, then at the mess before her, she sighed.

Great, now to repack her stuff.

* * *

At the very edge of Law's vision, he noticed the small blonde woman disappear behind the corner of a building, just before he could get a good look at her. Yet again. If she hadn't been wearing some sort of brightly-colored clothing, he probably wouldn't have seen her at all. Eyes narrowed, he waited a beat while still continuing to walk, watching for her to reappear for the dozenth time that morning, but after several seconds of nothing, he turned back to his friends, trekking their way through the town on the lookout for any stores or buildings that may be worth scavenging.

"Is she still following us?" Shachi whispered, loud enough for only them to hear. If it was one consolation to him, at least his companions knew when things were serious. Like now, with a mysterious woman trailing them. Two hours in, so far she hadn't made herself known to them or appeared to be much of a threat but that could quickly change.

"Yes." He answered in low tones. His entire body was on edge. After the second time of seeing her peeking from behind broken buildings and debris, he'd immediately tried to track her down, but she was a slippery one. As soon as he'd rounded the corner where he'd last seen her, she was nowhere to be found. Since then, he'd given up trying, but always wary of her presence.

"You'd think if she wanted something, she'd have come to kill us or talk to us by now." Penguin added, holding his gun in hand as he stepped over a crumbling patch of what used to be a brick wall. Most of the structure had been destroyed. "It's almost more worrying that she  _hasn't_  done anything yet, you know?"

"Hmm." Law hummed in agreement, mind preoccupied by the mysterious woman trailing them and something else that had been eating away at his head. The area had been relatively free of zombies. Sure, there was always the odd wandering loner that was easy to dispatch, but something about the town just didn't sit right. It was too quiet, too unpopulated. For a city this large, there was bound to be so many more people than what they'd faced up to that point. Either there had been some mass exodus out of the city before the infection…or someone had already gone through and killed them all. The latter option was much more likely.

"Geez, the military really tore this place apart." Shachi commented, kicking away a chunk of rock in their path. His eyes took in their surroundings curiously. "There're holes everywhere."

He was right. With one glance, you could see the obvious old blast radius from multiple explosive type devices; they appeared in sides of buildings, walls, in the sidewalks, the street, and all manner of places. The entire town was akin to swiss cheese, if Law was to compare it to anything. The abandoned city already gave them this eerie feeling to begin with. The excessive destruction only added to the unease.

Well, that, and the woman stalking them throughout the city as they looked for supplies. That was more than a little unsettling.

There it was again, what looked to be a blonde head poking out from a building to his right. It was irritating having to act as if nothing was there, hoping to draw her out into the open, or at least figure out what it was she was after. This was becoming rather irksome.

"She's been alone this whole time, right?"

"Shachi, don't you think Law would have told us if there was someone else? Idiot."

"Hey, don't get smart with me! You're so busy staring at your feet as you walk, you wouldn't have noticed anything to begin with."

"I do not!" Penguin defended, a little louder than perhaps he'd intended. Realizing this, both of them quieted down afterwards, hoping that his little outburst hadn't attracted any more unwanted attention. It seemed it had, as a few zombies appeared around a corner up ahead, groaning almost feral as they caught their scents and ran faster towards them.

"Sorry…" Penguin apologized, tilting his head down ashamedly. Law merely shrugged, bringing his sword up at the ready for the zombies to approach.

Surprisingly, they never got close enough.  _More_  surprising, was why.

When the undead had stumbled about 75 feet away, still coming closer, Law caught sight of a small object arching up and landing down in advance of the zombies' path, anticipating where they would continue running. It was dark and compact, and a moment after the sudden dawning that it was a grenade, Law opened his mouth to order their retreat away from the blast. The explosion rang out before he could get the words out.

* * *

Lexi had just finished putting together her stuff, double checking the room for anything she might have missed, when a distant boom made her frown. The sound made her pause, waiting for anything else to happen. Nothing. Rising from her crouch, she turned and stared out the bedroom window, looking out onto the city below.

At first glance there didn't appear to be anything unusual or out of place. Lexi's eyes flitted back and forth between the streets below, wondering what on earth had caused that sound. It sounded like an explosion, but that was a rather unlikely explanation. Maybe those two from before had caused it? She eventually shook her head. That didn't seem possible either, judging by how far away it had sounded. There's no way Nami and Usopp could have traveled that sort of distance in the ten minutes it had been since she'd seen them leave.

Lost in her thoughts, she almost jumped as the cloud of dust rose from between the buildings a few streets away, swirling in the air as the wind caught the dust, faintly disappearing within a matter of seconds.

Frowning, the brunette let out a deep breath. The smartest decision would be to turn the other direction and hightail it out of the city, heading closing to the air force base. That, or just stay here and wait out whatever was going on. Whatever it was, it would most definitely sort itself out at some point, right?

Though, Lexi was never one to always make the smartest decisions.

* * *

The sound was the most disorienting, a shockwave of force passing right through them as a large dust cloud of debris kicked up, and anything substantial was sent flying in all directions. Small rocks and other bits of things pelted their bodies harshly. The ground beneath their feet shook minutely, and they threw up their arms and dropped to a crouch as debris shot past their faces and bodies. All three broke into fits of coughing and rubbing at their eyes.

Law's first thought, after coughing out the dust that had been kicked up and swirled in the air, was that the noise would attract a horde of the undead. Something that loud was bound to attract attention of the unwanted kind, and fast. Grabbing Shachi and Penguin's jacket shoulders, he dragged them backwards and away from where the explosion had been, tripping and stumbling over unseen debris but otherwise making their quick getaway.

They didn't make it more than a dozen feet before something very brightly colored blocked their way. Law stopped, drawing his sword out of instinct and raising it defensively. A very feminine laugh came from the woman who'd been following them up to that point. There was no one else it could be, really.

"Oh, you survived!" She exclaimed, cocking her hip and placing her fists on either side. Out here in the barren wastes, she was quite a sight to see. Her wide grin was cocky, arrogant. And her choice of attire was questionable for an apocalyptic scenario. Bright yellow shirt with a lemon pattern, and strangely matching color hair. It was almost a sickly yellow, as if it were dyed, but that seemed unlikely, considering the circumstances.

Paired with jean shorts and dirty, beaten-up tennis shoes completed her…outfit. It was easier just to call it an assortment of clothing, really. And if they had to describe her face, the best word would be pinched. Uptight. A less than polite word for it? Bitchy.

Her observation of their survival seemed neither elated nor disappointed, but simply a statement of fact. It made it difficult to tell if the man had intentionally tried aiming near them or if it had simply been a matter of coincidence. And Law did not believe in coincidence.

Her grin never wavered. "That was cutting it pretty close, but it looks like you're fine."

Law's eyes narrowed, and he gripped his sword tighter. "Who are you?" He demanded, feeling Shachi and Penguin begin to recover from the shock of that grenade from before. Feeling stupid for almost forgetting the close call, he glanced back behind them and saw a single, dark-skinned man walking up, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his long brown trench coat.

A row of grenades was strapped to his chest in an 'X' formation, held in place by a custom holster. It looked to be military grade. His maroon-tinted sunglasses hid his eyes, but the short, spiky black dreadlocks made him seem more of a laid back person. But only slightly. That scowl of distaste ruined any pleasantness that might have been there at all.

The man stopped several feet away from them, effectively surrounding Law and his friends on both sides. The petite blonde woman laughed, drawing his attention once more. "I'm Claire. Claire Valentine. And this," she gestured behind Law to her male companion, "is my friend…uh…well, he doesn't like to share his name with others." She smiled obnoxiously, though as if she knew it were annoying.

"Well, Miss…Valentine." Law tested out, regarding her with aversion, getting that growing feeling that this was going to turn out to be a worse situation than he'd originally thought. "We would like to be on our way now."

Claire simply kept smiling. "You know, I've seen you guys walk around here like you own the place. You're cocky sons a' bitches, aren't you?" Miss Valentine started, effectively ignoring Law's previous statement. That smile still in place, she crossed her arms across her chest and giggled as she pointed to their packs. "What's more, you look like you've got a knack for finding things. We could use people like you."

"Is that so?" Law replied bitterly, voice blatantly portraying his disinterest in what she had to say. Beside him, Shachi and Penguin were content to let Law do all the talking. If he told them to jump, they'd jump, but he was much more skilled in tense situations like this.

Miss Valentine either didn't catch his tone, or just didn't care, because she plowed ahead anyways. "We've got an encampment further in the city, about twenty people. And, you know, humans have gotta stick together now, right?"

For several moments he said nothing, eyeing her warily. He could feel her partner staring at his back, which sent a chill up his spine that he resist physically showing.

"As tempting as that may sound, we prefer to be on our own." Law replied. She still seemed unperturbed, but that smile did wane a bit. Miss Valentine recovered quickly, placing a hand on her hip.

"Hmm, what a shame." She pouted, seemingly put out by his response. Though, the next moment her smile had returned. "I was afraid it would come to this though."

Without another word, she reached behind her and pulled out a small pistol, pointing it straight at Law's head. Her green eyes flicked to his weapon pointedly. "I'd put that sword down if I were you. You too, boys."

The click of a gun behind him made him turn, seeing the grenade-strapped man holding a sawed-off shotgun at his two companions. One shot would have enough spread to take them both out, no doubt. Still, Shachi and Penguin's guns never wavered as they stared down the man in question. Law sighed, turning back to the woman mastermind of this whole operation. Seeing as the big guy hadn't said a word up to this point, it was pretty safe to assume she was in charge.

Miss Valentine sighed dramatically, as if this whole thing were an inconvenience to her. "Now, are you gonna hand over the packs or not? Looks like you've got some pretty neat stuff in there."

Silently, Law slowly brought his sword up to sheath it behind his back, relaxing his posture and holding up his hands in surrender. He wasn't happy about it, but the best scenario would be to just do as they said. Even if he was fast enough to disarm Claire, the man behind him would surely have the reflexes to take out Shachi and Penguin by that time.

"Do as they say." Law instructed his friends. They shared a glance, wondering if he were really serious. Nodding, their leader cleared his throat. "Just do it."

Hesitantly and obvious not happy about it, the two hatted friends lowered their gun, letting them drop to the ground with loud clacks. Claire gave a giggle, getting off on the feeling of having complete control.

"Good, now shove that bag over here, will you?" She demanded, jerking her gun to indicate the pack strapped on Shachi's back. Her cocky grin mocked him. "And while your two pals are unarmed, you won't make a move, isn't that right? Or my friend here will blow their brains out all over you. Now, give me the bag."

Glaring, Law turned and took the bag off of Shachi's shoulders, dropping it to the ground and sliding it over her way with a rough shove from his foot.

Miss Valentine crouched and started pawing through the contents, humming a soft little tune to herself as she did so, as if she weren't holding up a couple of people at gunpoint. Like this was some tuesday afternoon, no different from another.

Law's eyes switched back and forth at the street behind her, trying to find a way out of this. If Claire's need to feel validated and in control wasn't so strong, he was willing to bet they'd be dead already. She just wanted to make them afraid. Something, anything to get them out of there. Still, besides the broken remnants of buildings, nothing obvious stood out.

A flicker of movement up high caught his eye and, after a brief glance at the blonde woman to make sure she wasn't looking, he shifted his gaze to the top of a building down the street. Someone poked their head over the top. It was a bit hard to see from this distance, but it looked like a woman…

His eyes widened.  _It couldn't be-_

That head of brown hair was so recognizable at this point. Law was sure of it. Staying low, so as not to be too obvious, she watched the events as they unfolded. His eyes narrowed. Perhaps this was not the saving grace he needed. Even several seconds later, she still made no move. What was she doing?

"Hmm, not as much as I thought you'd have, really." Miss Valentine commented, drawing Law's attention. She stood from the bag and tilted her head. "Hand over the other two. I want to see everything."

Doing as she said, Law was thankful the blonde went back to rummaging through their stuff, too preoccupied to see him glance back up at the roof where Lexi was hidden.

It would be so easy for her not to intervene, to simply hold her ground and silently slip away without these two bandits even knowing. Lexi could be on her way, leaving none the wiser, since Law and the others would most likely be killed after this little exchange. It was simply a matter of when this Claire chick decided that her fun was over. So, as he watched and waited for her to do something, anything, he had to resist the urge to curse aloud when her head disappeared behind the building.

That roiling anger inside him reared up, barely contained as he thought about it. That bitch, saying she owed them and hightailing it out of there at the first sign of them in trouble. So much for thanking them for saving her life a few times.

The anger subsided briefly when her head peeked back over the roof, this time propping a rifle in her hands, pointing in their direction. As he watched, she kept low while still lining up a shot. Law swallowed, hoping for a moment that he was wrong about her, that she was indeed there to help them.

Nothing was stopping her from putting a bullet through his own head. Which meant he just had to  _trust_  her, something he'd been inclined to avoid the entire time he'd known her. He closed his eyes briefly, sending a silent prayer that he was not making a huge mistake.

_Don't miss._

* * *

Lexi lined up her shot through the scope, going back and forth between the two thieves that held Law's ground at gunpoint. Which one should she shoot? The blonde seemed preoccupied enough as it was, and the bigger guy looked to be more of a threat. Ok, so the decision wasn't that hard after all.

Training her barrel on the man in the trench coat, she steadied her arm and breathed easy, knowing that a stray shot could potentially hit Shachi, Penguin, or Law by mistake. With the angle how it was, it wouldn't be too hard to accidentally hit them.

Licking her lips with the sudden onset of nerves, she slowly inched her finger to the trigger.

* * *

Law's entire body was on edge, ready to either leap forward and knock Claire's gun from her hands if Lexi shot the man behind him, or to spin and hopefully incapacitate the man if the brunette happened to shoot the woman. He hoped she was smart enough to take out the most deadly threat first, leaving the easier one to him. Miss Valentine didn't look too comfortable and or skilled with that pistol in her hands. More for show than anything.

For several seconds, nothing happened, the air deathly still around them as he waited, and waited…

_Bang!_

Lexi's shot rang out, and Claire jumped about two feet in the air. She screamed, not expecting something to happen while they were sticking them up. Law saw no blood splatter or mark on her, so he snapped into action, running full tilt the few feet between them, and grabbing hold of her wrist harshly, wrenching the gun away from her grasp.

"Ah!" She gasped, roughly toppled to the ground as Law knocked her off her feet, straddling her by the waist as they landed in the dirt. Behind him, he could hear Shachi and Penguin voicing their surprise as the big guy fell to the ground.

Law held Miss Valentine's hands to either side of her body, looking behind him cautiously to see that her partner had indeed been killed, the bullet hole stark in the middle of his forehead.

"What the hell was that?" Penguin yelled, shaken up a bit from the surprising turn of events.

"Lexi." Was all Law said, turning his attention back onto the blonde woman. She struggled and squirmed in his grip but he was much stronger than her. "Shachi, grab our stuff."

"Bastards!" She screamed beneath him, eyes full of venom now that the tables had turned. Law smirked deviously.

"Not so fun from the other side, is it?"

"I'll kill you!" She growled, spitting upwards into his face. Law grimaced against the disgusting feeling of her saliva now on his cheek and one eye, but he ignored it for the moment.

Penguin walked up with his gun, pointing it at her head. He paused giving Law a questioning look. With a nod, Law silently instructed him to go ahead. There was nothing more to get from this woman, seeing as he didn't really want to stay in this place any longer than they had to.

Claire screamed, seeing the intent in Penguin's eyes. It was cut short with one shot of his gun, and her head jerked with the force of the bullet, splattering blood all around them and on their clothes.

Law stood, finally wiping blood and spit from his face with his sleeve, glancing back up to the roof where Lexi had been. She leaned on the roof in a relaxed pose, one arm casually draped over the edge of the roof.

When she saw him looking her way, she gave him a little wave. Silently, he gave a deep nod, a silent thanks for saving their lives. Because honestly, she just had, despite his reluctance to admit that they'd definitely needed it.

 _Thank you,_  he thought to himself, hoping that he could convey just a fraction of his gratitude into the gesture. She was owed that much, at least.

Lexi regarded him a moment, them gave a quick two-finger salute before standing and walking the opposite direction, disappearing from view. He watched for another few seconds, but she did not reappear. Turning, he watched as Penguin and Shachi were busy unhooking the many grenades off of the dead man's vest, stuffing them into their packs quickly.

"Let's get the hell out of here! This place is crawling with psychos." Shachi said, zipping closed their stuff and slinging it over his back again. Law was much inclined to agree and, with a brief glance at Miss Valentine and her companion, they headed off in the direction they'd originally been going, albeit a bit faster.

Law couldn't resist glancing over his shoulder, searching for the head of brown hair he knew wasn't there.


	9. Have Some Hope

**Part 2**

In silence, they trudged on.

Penguin and Shachi took up the rear out of pure habit, letting Law take the lead and allowing them to talk amongst themselves if they felt like it. But that afternoon, none of them were really in the talkative mood. Not out of any particular reason, no, it was just one of those days. Well, that, and they were all pretty hungry. Hell, that was an understatement too. The constant grumbling of their stomachs forced their thoughts on one thing and one thing only: food.

They still had a few cans left to their name, but Law refused to part with them unless they were genuinely starving, trying to prolong the supply as long as they could. While they hadn't quite reached that point just yet, it wasn't too far off.

Law was only half relieved that his two friends decided to lapse into silence for awhile, his ear having practically been talked off during the past few months. His migraine would have been a lot worse otherwise. It was a bit worrying to hear them so quiet, it wasn't like them at all, but considering that they were running low on supplies it wasn't all too surprising. They were all a bit on edge, fearful that they wouldn't be able to find anything else to sate their hunger.

From the path they'd taken so far, they'd passed into Ohio a few days ago, but the edge of the state didn't offer much in terms of residence or supplies. They'd been hopping from town to town, trying to find a more permanent place to stay with more options of sustenance, but nothing was really safe anymore. Worst of all, most of the resources like food and water had either gone bad or already been scavenged. Most places had broken windows and doors swinging wide open, graffiti all over them, indicating there was nothing left to take. An entirely destroyed and ruined town was more commonplace than the exception.

Law had been searching the map for any sort of promising places to go, but one after the other, they all turned out to be disappointments. So, their meandering path kept them naturally heading West, following the roads between towns, always on the search for a better place to stay, a better place to survive.

Shachi and Penguin weren't even sure what Law was truly looking for. It was as if part of his brain kept telling him that if they kept moving they'd find some sort of respite. Some sort of light at the end of the figurative tunnel. Additionally, and they wouldn't ever mention it, of course, but they had a strange suspicion their back and forth path always heading West wasn't a coincidence. Since a certain  _woman_  was heading that direction, it was no surprise they were heading that way too. Some part of Law was wanting to follow her. Maybe not even  _he_  knew it himself, but the two friends weren't blind or stupid.

Penguin's mind brought up the brunette once again, not the first time that morning, and he finally decided to break the silence after a long, good stretch of time. "It's been awhile since we've seen Lexi." He started, intentionally leaving it open to other comments.

Shachi latched onto the offered string of conversation and shrugged. "It's been, what, maybe three months?" Then, he turned to Law who hadn't spoken up yet. "How long's it been since we saw those bandits, Law?"

Their leader shrugged nonchalantly. "Like you said, a couple months."

"Can't believe she didn't stick around so we could thank her." The group was passing under a bridge, and they were enclosed in the shade from overhead. "I miss seeing her." Penguin admitted, glancing at Law subtly. He made sure the tiny smile didn't give itself away too easily.

Law glanced behind him at his two companions, wondering what made them bring up Lexi after such a long time of silence. Their faces, however, didn't give them away, and he turned back to the road ahead. Far off in the distance, they could see a small group of zombies wandering aimlessly.

"Feels like it's been a lot longer since we've seen her than other times." Shachi added. "I wonder if she's ok, wherever she is."

"Lexi can take care of herself, I'm sure." Law finally said, hoping to bring the discussion to a close. He was missing the silence right about now. Then, feeling strangely apprehensive, he narrowed his eyes. "Though, it  _has_  been quite a long time since we've seen her."

There was always the possibility that she simply decided to change direction and head somewhere else, in which case they would never know exactly what happened to the mysteriously kind and strange woman they'd grown to enjoy fleetingly bumping into. At one time he would have welcomed the probability of her never seeing them again, trusting her less than he could throw her. Most of it wasn't even having to do with her directly, but the byproduct of having to survive in hell for a prolonged period of time. Though, since last time, he'd felt he hadn't exactly been fair with her up to this point.

Lexi was trustworthy, as she'd demonstrated by saving them from those bandits. There was no skirting that issue. While they may not know much about her, she had saved their lives, and that wasn't to be taken lightly. At least in Law's opinion. She had every opportunity to leave them be, but she risked her own safety by firing her weapon for their sake. There were very few people Law would do the same for. So saying, he was willing to give her a chance.

One chance. No others.

And if she were to ruin that chance…

He wouldn't allow her the opportunity to try again.

It was a sobering thought, but a necessary one. For as tough and stoic as Law had come to be in the apocalypse, he didn't exactly cherish the thought of killing the brunette but if it came down to it he wouldn't hesitate. In fact, he hoped that she'd prove to be a genuine ally. God knew they could always use another pair of eyes to watch their backs. She could hold her own with a gun or knife. Maybe they didn't have the food enough for another mouth to feed, but hey…

Law frowned, stopping his train of thought before it could go any further. Here he was, already thinking that she'd join their little group. That was jumping the gun a bit. First things first, of course. They'd have to see her again, not only to evaluate her once more, just for good measure and Law's peace of mind, but to thank her properly for saving their lives.

So lost in his thoughts, Law almost didn't bring his weapon up in time to slice the head of the zombie before it got too close. Only the sudden noise of it's loud groan snapped him out of his reverie, and by then, it was a lot closer than was comfortable. A bit startled, he flicked his wrists and chopped the head from it's shoulders, felling it with a loud thud.

"You space out or something?" Shachi questioned, taking care of the last of the zombies, which him and Penguin had taken care of while Law hadn't been paying attention. He pulled his knife free from its skull and walked over towards him. "You ok?"

As if he weren't seeing properly, he waved his hand in front of Law's eyes just to be sure. Giving the hatted man a bland look, Law pushed his hand away and shook his head. "I'm fine."

He set off walking down the road again, the large expanses of meadow on either side of them. It all made them feel so much smaller. Unfortunately, before Law could dwell on their surroundings any further, he felt a hand pulling on his shoulder annoyingly.

"What are you thinking about anyways? You've had this faraway look for like ten minutes." Pushing up on his other side was Penguin, that knowing grin in place. "You daydreaming about Lexi, yeah?"

"No." Law denied shortly, glaring daggers at his friend. Unintentionally, it came across so obviously like the lie it really was. Not that they would have believed it anyways, but still. "Why would I be doing that?"

"Oh, I don't know…If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's pretty much got you wrapped around her little finger." Just for emphasis, Penguin held up his pinkie and made a twirling motion, jumping out of the way before Law could shove him away. "Hey, I'm just calling it like it is!"

Shachi, eager to take the opportunity to tease their leader, jumped in with a matching smirk. "Don't think we don't notice the way you look at her."

"Enough." Law sternly replied, feeling fed up for even participating in the conversation at all. He should have known to leave well enough alone and leave them to their talking.

"No way, you can't be all brooding silence this entire time!" Penguin argued, running a bit ahead and walking backwards to look him pointedly in the face. "If you've got a thing for her, just fess up."

"I don't have a 'thing' for Lexi." Law air-quoted, emphasizing the word just for good measure. Even his irritated eye roll did nothing to deter them, much to his chagrin. There was a time when that alone could stop any conversation, but it seemed that wasn't the case any longer.

"Admit it." Shachi pressed.

"There's nothing to admit."

"Aww, come on! She's hot, you have to agree to that much." Shachi came to his friend's aid. "You can't tell me you don't find her attractive."

Law stubbornly kept his silence, but unfortunately it didn't deter them from rapid-firing accusations and questions one right after the other. Most of it he tuned out, but others were hard to ignore outright.

"If she were anyone else, you'd have killed her on the spot back at that house." Penguin finally accused, referring to when they'd given her a place to stay for the night. "You're sweet on her, Law."

It seemed his two companions wouldn't be giving up on this anytime soon, and he'd rather not spend an hour trying to defend himself. It didn't help that they were hitting very close to things he'd made it a point not to think about for the time being. Sighing deeply, Law decided that ignoring them was the best approach. "You're both insane."

"You can't hide something like that from us forever, you know." Shachi bragged in a sing-song-like voice. He returned to his usual place behind Law, dragging Penguin with him. "We know the truth."

Saying nothing, Law allowed them to fall in line behind him, but he could still feel their stares at his back as they walked. After a few minutes, their whispers were barely audible to him with the distance between them, but Law was sure he could make out the words 'hookup' and 'need a little push' at least once in their hushed conversation.

With a measured breath, he resisted the urge to rub at the growing headache, knowing that they'd only take that as an invitation to resume their attack. They were his best friends, but sometimes the greatest pains in the ass there ever was. Depended on the day.

* * *

"Seriously, what does this thing mean?" Penguin cocked his head, looking up and down at the strange graffiti-covered wall. They were walking through an alley, what would have once been shady or ghetto if all the artwork was anything to go by. Misspelled words and other various gang signs riddled the concrete walls, but one in particular, obviously the most recent since it covered everything else, was large and loud.

The dark green image of a woman wearing what looked to be a spiked collar took up most of the wall. Whoever made it had certainly had the time and skill to do so. The paint looked fresh, well, as fresh as pain could look in the zombie apocalypse. The rest of the markings had begun to fade with time and weather, but this one remained vibrant and bright.

"You expect me to know? I wasn't in a gang." Shachi crossed his arms, leaning against the nearest rusted car.

"So it's a gang symbol?"

"Most likely. 90 percent of graffiti is gang related, the rest are normally street artists trying to get a message across." Law replied nonchalantly, though his eyes were narrowed in concentration. He felt like he'd seen that symbol before, not too long ago. Where had he seen that before? That familiar feeling wouldn't leave him, and it constantly nagged at the back of his head. It was as if he should know, but just couldn't connect the dots.

Shachi gave a chuckle before double checking his gun. "Heh, maybe the artist doesn't know there's been an apocalypse. Freelance guys are like that and all."

"Idiots?" Penguin questioned, kicking away at some loose debris by his feet.

"I meant out of touch with reality." The bland look quickly turned into a thoughtful one. "But if you really feel that way…"

"Hey, don't make me out to be the bad guy here."

Shachi shrugged with a grin. "I'm not the one who called them idiots."

"Shh!" Law hissed, holding up a hand to silence them both. Their sentences died on their lips, and they all three stood next to some kind of department store, listening to the air around them. Law had sworn he'd heard someone talking on the edge of his hearing. Now that it was quiet, he strained his ears, intent on hearing it once again.

Several seconds passed with no sound besides the wind, then-

There it was! A man laughed somewhere in the distance, and the three hungry friends shared glances. Law pointed in the general direction he believed the noise to be coming from, and they silently edged around the building to the perpendicular street in hopes of remaining hidden. With the city as empty as it was, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where an echo originated from.

The talking continued over the sound of the wind, floating in and out of hearing as the speaker changed voice tone. Individual words were impossible to make out, but it was definitely male.

Penguin and Shachi readied their guns, and Law unsheathed his sword in preparation for a fight. So far it looked like they'd gone undetected, but knowing their luck, this would end in a scuffle. Besides, it was best to be prepared for the worst no matter the situation.

Law narrowed his eyes, still hearing the man talking, but unable to understand what he was saying at this distance. Looking pointedly at Shachi and Penguin, he pointed at the ground and held out his hand in the universal signal for 'stay.' They nodded, and he edged his way around the corner alone, keeping low behind a line of broken and rusting cars. Wherever this other person was, Law wanted to lay eyes on him and make sure he wasn't a threat.

At the end of the block, Law stopped moving and looked back to where his friends were hidden, knowing they'd have eyes on him the whole time in case things went south. Peeking from behind the cars to look up the street, Law still couldn't see any sign of the other man, or anything at all for that matter, but it was much easier to hear what he was saying in this spot. Or, more correctly, yelling.

"come on down!…it's alright, we're not…food and water, and even…" Law frowned. Several moments of just listening and it appeared that this man was trying to convince someone to come down from somewhere.

"safety…camp…" The man continued to yell, but there didn't appear to be any sort of response from whoever he was trying to communicate with.

Turning back to the direction of Shachi and Penguin, Law waved them forward and they walked in a crouch just as he had done towards him. They settled silently besides him, heads tilted as they listened to the man talking.

"Stay here, I'm going to get closer." Law instructed once they'd arrived, but Shachi grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Don't you think we should just leave the city? This seems unnecessarily dangerous."

"I want to know who we're dealing with, they may have more people nearby." Law explained, placating his friend quickly. "It'll be fine, just stay here and provide cover if need be."

And so saying, Law left behind the row of cars, slowly approaching closer and closer to the man who was still talking. His stomach gave a particularly sharp pain, and he winced. Hopefully this town, or perhaps this person he could hear talking, would have some food on them. If it came down to it, he'd forcefully take what his group needed to survive because at this rate they would starve to death before other people even became a problem.

Another block closer and Law stopped behind a nearby car, eyeing the figure of a man standing and facing an apartment building. Surprisingly, there was another man with him. Up to this point it didn't sound like he'd spoken yet.

The original man continued to talk up at the building, where Law assumed the other survivor must be that they were trying to convince to come down.

"You can't live by yourself forever! Where do you expect to go? How do you expect to find all the food you'll need? Or water?"

Silence answered him, but the man apparently refused to give in. Cupping his hands against his mouth, he yelled louder. "We can't let you just wait out your death! Please, come with us back to the camp and you'll be surrounded by others who are all trying to survive just like you!"

From his vantage point behind the car, Law saw the second person tap the man's shoulder hesitantly. "Hey, maybe we should just let it go, Zack. It's been hours and the guy isn't budging."

Looking rather irritated, the man supposedly named Zack shook his head with a scoff. "Don't you remember how I was when you first took me in? It took me four days before I even left that police station! And that was only because I was running out of food." He sadly returned his attention back onto the apartments and sighed deeply. "We can't just leave him behind. I have to try to save this guy. And we need all the help we can get back at the camp."

Law frowned, instantly wary, but there was a time spark of hope that came with it. A camp? Other people. A coalition of survivors. Supposedly all working together. That would be something.

He wondered what Shachi and Penguin would think, but couldn't dwell on it much longer before the sound of a door opening caught all of their attentions. The entrance to the apartment building opened, revealing a disheveled and skinny older gentleman. His hair had once been red, but was now faded to a graying salt and pepper color. His beard and mustache were untrimmed, unruly and wild. He clutched a long rifle in his hands, shakily aiming it at Zack and the as-yet unidentified man.

"You said somethin' about…food? And water?" His gravelly voice croaked. Obviously it had been some time since he'd had either.

Eagerly, yet still aware of the weapon being trained on him, Zack raised his hands and slowly reached for his backpack. "You betcha. Here, have this." He unzipped the pack cautiously, eyeing the barrel of the gun aimed at his head, as he pulled a water bottle and can of food from within.

The older man instantly lowered his weapon, visibly shaking at the proffered nourishment, and after only a second's hesitation, he dropped the gun to the ground and hastily snatched it from Zack's hands.

"There's more where that came from," he started with a chuckle, "but you'll have to come back to camp with us. You can get some rest too. You look like you need it."

The older man didn't even appear to be listening as he greedily chugged the container of water. It was gone in a matter of seconds, and he let out a satisfied 'ah' of appreciation. "Alrigh' fine. I'll go with you boys. But the moment I don't see something I like, I'm hightailin' it out and you'll never see me again."

"Fair enough, old man. What's your name?" The unnamed man grinned, holding out a hand to shake.

The bearded survivor returned the gesture, though still shaking and visibly weak. "Stanley, but just call me Stan."

"Alright, Stan. I'm Jared, this is Zack." Jared gestured to his partner, and Stan repeated the handshake with the other man. "There'll be more to introduce you to once we get back to the camp, and then we'll get you all hooked up with some more food and a nice bed."

The old man laughed aloud, following the other two as they began to walk in the direction away from Law. Stan must have said something else, which made the others laugh as well, but as they got further and further away, their conversation became much too quiet to hear properly.

Waiting until he could no longer hear the trio, Law rose back from his seated position behind the car and snuck his way back towards Shachi and Penguin. They remained quiet and patient until he returned.

"So, what was all that about?" Penguin questioned curiously. "What was going on?"

"Two people were trying to convince another survivor to join their encampment. They appear to be genuine." Law quickly explained, sticking a thumb in the direction he'd just come from. "They're heading there now, and if we follow, we can get a closer look."

"Hmm, you sure we shouldn't just leave?" Shachi reasoned, gesturing to the city around them. "Who knows how many people are crawling in this town. If there's a few, there's gotta be more, like you said. Maybe it would be better just to leave well enough alone and keep moving."

Penguin turned to his apprehensive friend incredulously. "Are you kidding? The first sign of other people that might be friendly and you want to just up and leave? We're slowly starving and they have food."

"You don't know that." Shachi shook his head, looking stricken. "They could be just as starving as us and are looking for people to rob. Going there could just as sooner be a death sentence than a blessing."

"Well, even if things aren't what they seem, it beats having never tried." Was Penguin's retort. He crossed his arms and sighed deeply. The sound was punctuated by another grumble of his stomach. "Things go south? We just ditch and pretend we were never there. It turns out to be true? We eat, then we can go."

"What do you think, Law? You've been quiet this whole time." Shachi turned pointedly to their leader, and Penguin followed suit.

Law stared down the road in thought, chewing his bottom lip as he mulled the question over. What  _did_  he think? The possibility of food and water was tempting beyond belief, especially now. Penguin had a point, even if it didn't turn out to be all it was promised to be, they had at least taken the chance. But risks like that was an easy way to be killed. There were so many unknown variables here, and for a calculating person like him, it was maddening.

Yet the opportunity to…well, settle in one place for more than a few days? To find a…home? Was that too much to hope for? Was that even something he  _could_  hope for? It had been awhile since he'd really anticipated something so positive or…actually wanted to believe in.

The trait was very reminiscent of a certain brunette…

"I saw we try." Came his eventual response, and he turned his attention back to his friends, looking them each in the eye. "Penguin's right. On the chance things aren't as they seem, we can always find ways to leave. Besides, one little look wouldn't hurt, right? We don't like what we see right off the bat, we'll keep moving."

Shachi sighed but shrugged. "I'm outvoted either way, so let's do this."

"You never know." Law started, standing from his crouch a moment before the others. "Just maybe, things might work out for once. Say these people are friendly. We could-"

"Settle down? Like, permanently?" Penguin asked hopefully, all too thrilled at the prospect. Shachi still looked doubtful, but there was no mistaking that spark of happiness behind his half smile.

"Wouldn't that be something. Two years as nomads and you begin to think you'll never stop moving."

Law said nothing, though he felt a slight pang of guilt at his friend's words. He was their leader. He made most of the final decisions. The choice to keep moving had been his, and he'd never really stopped to think what Shachi and Penguin thought about it.

Pushing it to the back of his mind, he lead them towards the direction the other group had gone, hoping that they weren't too far behind so as to lose them.


	10. The Hand That Feeds You

Keeping up with the group of three men hadn't been that difficult after all. They seemed to engage in more loud conversation than even Penguin and Shachi did on a regular basis. Of course, considering they'd just recruited a new and strange survivor they knew nothing about warranted a bit of conversation. Thankfully it just made it all the easier to track them.

They didn't even have to worry about any nearby zombies either. While there wasn't an abundant amount of undead roaming this city to begin with, any that the survivors alerted they took care of pretty quickly. All Law and his group had to do was lay low and wait for them to be taken care of. The biggest problem was just keeping out of sight and quiet enough not to alert the others that they were there.

And, of course, once they actually left the city and started walking through the forest, this became much harder of a task. The leaves underfoot crunched with each step, and they had to significantly increase the distance between their two groups just to ensure they weren't heard.

"How far away can this camp be?" Shachi whispered amongst them, glancing down at his feet as his weight snapped a stray branch. "We've been walking for like 20 minutes."

Law only shrugged, torn between watching the ground to avoid the driest and therefore crunchiest-looking pile of leaves as they walked, and keeping a steady gaze on the group they were following. "It can't be too much farther. Look, it's getting dark already."

He pointed up to the sky, which was still visible through the canopy of leaves overhead. Indeed, the sky was beginning to darken into that blue-gray hue of the promise of night. The air was a bit chillier than before too, though it hadn't become apparent until Law said something about the change.

Penguin's stomach growled loudly, reminding them all that they were starving, though the constant reminder wasn't really necessary. It was one of the most prominent thoughts and fears in their minds.

The worry having dulled any conversation they would have had, they trudged on carefully, zigzagging their way from tree to tree in an effort to stay out of sight of the group up ahead.

It was another 15 or 20 minutes before the group up ahead took a sharp left in their path, walking out of Law's sight. Noticing the sudden change in behavior from their targets, Law frowned and held up a hand in warning, prompting them to hide behind the nearest tree. He waited a few seconds, making sure they hadn't been discovered inadvertently, before signaling they continue.

As the companions approached where they had turned, Law spotted a bit of bright color in the muted earth tones of the forest, he frowned, crouching down to delicately finger the bright orange ribbon tied at the base of a tree. It was thick and unmistakable.

"What is it?" Shachi asked, not quite sure of its significance. Law stood and turned towards where the group had started heading. He waved them to follow.

"It's a directional marker, so they know how to return to their camp if I were to guess."

So saying, they continued down the path the three men had presumable gone. They weren't within sight, and after several minutes of walking without knowing where they had gone, Law stopped with a frown.

"Looks like we've lost them." He admitted, running a frustrated hand through his hair. Great, this past hour might well turn out to be a waste. Still, they had to be nearby somewhere.

"Well, we can always leave while we still can." Shachi shrugged, still the dissenter in this situation. He wasn't feeling too comfortable following these people into potential danger, regardless of Law's curiosity or plan of action.

The three stood there in the middle of the forest, stomachs growling continuously with each passing minute they didn't eat. What had started as a dull ache that morning had grown to a pounding, all-consuming pain that never seemed to ebb. They all felt much more tired than before, the lack of calories slowing down their bodies in an unconscious way to reserve strength.

"Wait, you hear that?" Penguin held up a hand, and they all listened intently to the background, prompted by his mention.

It took several seconds, but somewhere in the distance, the sound of crackling wood, and the laughter of several people floated on the wind, barely picked up by their ears at how faint it was. It was the sounds of an encampment nearby, somewhere within hearing distance, and the joyful laughter was more than reassuring. At least, somewhat.

Naturally, the three friends followed closer to where they heard the sounds, and it grew in volume as they walked.

And then the sweetest smell they ever remembered sensing wafted past their noses-the aroma of cooking meat, fresh and hot and seemingly waiting for them to come and devour it. It teased them, almost able to taste it in the air. Their minds, so preoccupied with their starvation, instantly kickstarted with purpose and determination, and a newfound hope filled their bellies.

"Jesus, that smells amazing…" Shachi admitted breathlessly, sniffing several times just to be sure it wasn't a trick of the mind, any previous hesitation momentarily forgotten in the face of possible food.

Salivating at the thought of a hearty meal, Law guided them closer to the noise, and they crested a small hill, stopping at the top to look out across the small valley below.

At one point, this place had probably been a campground, seeing as the dirt road dissected directly through the walled camp. The area was flattened out and relatively smooth for a forested area, perfect for a camp. An assortment of camper trailers and other mobile living spaces were lined neatly in a large circle, parked front end to back end so they acted as a defense as well as the boundaries for the camp itself. The campers blocked most of the view, but of what they could see from their higher vantage point, there in the center was a large fire pit, blazing with life as the fire roared and cracked, sending sparks up into the air. Dozens of people milled about, talking and laughing, and sharing a meal that was being cooked over the fire by a muscular man. Everything seemed rather normal, as if it were a group of friends and family enjoying a campout and barbecue.

The barbed wire and makeshift barricades in the gaps between campers told another story. So did the rifle-wielding guards standing on the roof of several campers, walking leisurely back and forth atop them as they surveyed the darkness beyond. Thanks to the shadows of the forest, Law and his men had stayed out of sight when they emerged from the trees, but it would still be difficult to get close without being seen.

"This is…" Penguin started, eyes flitting back and forth between the people below as he struggled for an appropriate word. The atmosphere was not what they'd been expecting. Slowly, he finally shook his head. "This is crazy…"

Law stared at the people, trying to gauge what kind of place this was by observing alone. They all acted normally, well, as normal as normal could be nowadays. Nothing fishy was going on, just a group of people enjoying a meal. He even spotted what he thought to be the new recruit with Zack, being handed a plate of meat from the spit. He didn't appear roughed up or injured in any way. Maybe, just maybe…

"You think they're actually…real?" Shachi asked, not having to explain what he'd meant. Law shrugged, staring in awe at the camp.

"One way to find out." He muttered, finally glancing their way to discern their thoughts. Neither of them felt any sort of suspicion from the people down below. And even when Law knew he should feel all sorts of apprehension at the thought of waltzing right up to the gate of an unknown camp, the grumbling and growling stomach was taking over much of his thought processes.

"What do you think?" Law finally asked, watching as Penguin and Shachi shared a long look, before Shachi finally nodded silently. He was willing to bet their reasoning before they even voiced it and, predictably, Penguin turned to their leader and shrugged with a grin.

"Hey, we're all starving and they have food. That's about as much as I care for right now."

Well, that was good enough for him too. Smiling a little, Law nodded, and they rose from their place on the hill. receding back into the forest behind them to circle around to the other side. Apprehension be damned. After all, they were slowly running out of time to really have anything to lose anyways.

* * *

Just as he instructed, Law and the others walked slowly up to the encampment, unarmed with their guns and sword at their backs, watching the guards up top cautiously just in case. This was a  _huge_ risk, walking right up to the gates, but there really was no other way around it. If things went south, they could always hightail it out of there, though the chance of getting shot was extremely high.

All in all, Law didn't like it. But his hunger told him not to care.

The front of the barricade was comprised of a chainlink fence and door that was welded onto the sides of the adjacent campers, reinforced with sheets of scrap metal and wooden boards on the interior side. The whole fence looked like it had originally belonged in a city alleyway, and it probably had, considering the closest town was only about half an hour or so away from here. Most of this stuff had no doubt come from the same place.

Predictably, the front was too well defended to break in, or even try to fight through if they were that stupid, so there was no choice but to do this the diplomatic way. Law's least favorite.

"Stop right there!" A male voice called from the camper. They obeyed, holding up their hands to indicate they were not carrying weapons. "How'd you find this place?"

The man they faced was difficult to make out in the darkness, but they could see a distinct bushy beard, and a large frame, most noticeable was the beer belly and bald head.

The three glanced amongst themselves, wondering exactly what to tell this guard, weighing the truth versus figuring out a lie on the spot. Finally, after a few seconds of tense silence, Law stepped forward once, establishing himself as the leader.

"There was a group of men that had been in town. They recruited another survivor, offering food and shelter, so we decided to follow." He explained, implying that they were looking for the same, in case that hadn't been obvious enough. In the growing darkness, it was difficult to make out the face of the man Law was talking to, but he kept silent, aiming his gun in their general direction without appearing to be threatening.

"Are there any others?" He questioned, still on edge. By now, his raised voice had alerted the rest of the encampment that there was someone at the gate, and Law could see a few heads peeking through some of the barricade, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was unfolding.

"No, only us three." Law indicated Shachi and Penguin to include them as well. "We have no food, and've been traveling in hopes of finding some place like this to stay." He half-lied. One never knew. The fact that they'd been basically nomadic for a long time might make them uneasy if he told the full truth.

"Look, even if you are telling the truth," the man started, sighing exasperatedly, "we don't have the food to spare three more strangers. Move along and find somewhere else." He finished, pointing back out into the woods.

"Please, we're starving!" Shachi begged, stepping forward past Law, even as the leader frowned. His desperation was fueling his pleas, but Law's pride as a man made it difficult for him to really resort to that.

Before he could blink, a loud gunshot rang out, and Shachi stopped in place, everyone jumping in expectation to feel the pain of a wound, but nothing hurt. Dirt flung up from the ground a foot or so away from him where the bullet had travelled, and they looked back up to the guard with caution.

"The next one won't be a warning!"

"Is there even anywhere else to go around here?" Penguin continued. "There's forest for miles in all directions!"

"It's not my problem where you go, but you can't stay here!" The guard refused to give, finally raising his gun in an obvious attempt at intimidation to make good on his promise. "It's best you get the hell out of here!"

All three men stood silent, staring up at the guard expectantly. "I won't ask again!" He hollered, reloading the gun with the bolt action so they could see.

There was a commotion inside the encampment, out of their sight, but was easily distinguishable by the muttering people and a lone woman's voice calling for people to move out of the way. Even the guard turned to watch whatever was going on inside the camp, and a moment later, the chain link fence rustled, the door jangling as the lock on the other side was opened, and it swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman black-haired woman.

"Now, I've told you before, everyone has equal chance of being welcomed here, no matter our resources or lack thereof. And put that gun away. No need to waste those bullets." She chastised gently, eyeing the guard with disapproval, before turning a warm and gentle gaze onto Law and his friends. "I'm sorry about Marve, he can be a bit of a stickler, but his heart's in the right place."

Above them, the bearded guard scoffed, but said nothing more on the matter. Ignoring him, the woman continued on. "What're all your names?"

"I'm Penguin."

"Shachi."

"Law." They all answered in turn, eyeing the curious woman with interest.

She was thin, and fairly small for a woman her age, shorter than all three of them. But the fire in her eyes left no doubt that she was still a woman of power. Her short black hair hung loosely around her face, framing the dark blue eyes and the multitude of freckles that dotted her cheeks. Her smile was infectious, as Shachi and Penguin couldn't help but return the gesture in a mixture of relief and curiosity. Law, not so much.

"My name is Margaret. I'm the appointed leader of our little group." She introduced herself as, extending her hand courteously. With a bit more hesitation in doing so, Law took it, shaking it in just as firm a grip as her, all the while watching her like a hawk for anything suspicious. If she noticed, she didn't say anything and just kept up that warm smile.

"I imagine you're all rather famished, hmm? Why don't you come inside and fill your stomachs?" She spread her palms to either side, indicating the ring of campers behind her. "We'll spare you what we can. All I ask is that you do us no harm. I say this only so you have fair warning, you'll be asked to disarm all of your weapons once inside."

Of course. Law hadn't really expected otherwise, but having it said aloud like that really struck it home. The hunger was temporarily pushed to the side to make room for that usual calculating mind of his, and he was actively weighing all the pros and cons of doing so.

Pro: they don't starve to death.

Con: they get killed anyways by the residents.

"I understand you must be suspicious of everything and everyone," she continued with a small chuckle, though not in an unkind way, "but those are my conditions. I wouldn't say they're unfair, if you ask me. I need some kind of consolation that my people will be safe."

"No," Law replied, sighing deeply. "they aren't unfair. Doesn't mean I necessarily like them."

She smiled knowingly. "Well, I suppose I'd be more worried if you were _too_  eager to comply." And with that, she turned and walked back to the gate. "Please follow me. Marve will help you with your weapons."

Sharing another glance with the others, Law lead them after Margaret and into the encampment.

* * *

"Oh my god, this is  _amazing._ " Penguin said through a mouthful of meat, wiping the edge of his mouth with his dirty sleeve. "The best thing I've ever tasted."

"Ditto." Shachi said, taking a massive bite out of his own meal with gusto. In the face of being saved from starvation, it seemed all good manners went out the window, the loud noise of chewing and eating causing quite a ruckus. Law eyed them in exasperation, having more restraint, though not much, in eating his own meal. It was delicious indeed, and if they hadn't been surrounded by dozens of other strangers, he probably would've devolved to such actions as well.

The plethora of people milled about the camp, some brave enough to sit near the new arrivals, most too afraid or suspicious to do more than glance in their direction and turn to the nearest neighbor to whisper. Either way, almost every set of eyes was trained on them, even the new recruit the other two men had brought in. It didn't bother Law much, but every time one of the tougher-looking men got too close with a glare, Law would tense until they passed. It didn't hurt to be too cautious.

"You weren't kidding about being starving, now were you?" Margaret laughed, watching the three with interest from her seat a few feet away. She didn't appear concerned about the behavior of her people, though that little fact didn't ease his worries. This place could still turn out to be their death, after all.

"We haven't eaten in days." Shachi admitted through his food, mostly ignoring the small woman. "Felt like my stomach was going to tear itself apart."

"Days, huh?" She scratched her neck in thought. "Where'd you three come from anyways?"

Penguin and Shachi were too busy eating to reply, and they left that answer to their leader. Law, having already finished his share of dinner, set his plate aside and lounged back in the plastic lawn chair. Maybe it was the full stomach that had him feeling so satisfied, but he felt he could at least talk to the woman cordially. That being said, it didn't mean she was entitled to all of the answers she sought.

"Nowhere in particular." He answered vaguely. "We've gradually gone northwest."

"Well, a hell of a time you must'a had, then." Margaret mused quietly, turning her head to stare into the fire between them. Her reply made him frown, and he tilted his head curiously.

"Why say that?"

The woman shrugged, digging in her pocket for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, flicking it open with a sigh. "The southern and eastern coasts seemed to have been hit the hardest, if you believe the stories." She struck the lighter several times before the end caught, and then gestured around the camp with the lit cigarette. "People talk. They share little tidbits of information."

"Stories?" He prodded, hoping to hear more. If she had any ore information than he had, he'd be eager to know.

"Well, as can be expected, most of us are from around here, residents of the nearest town and all. Others," she glanced back to the people in the camp, eyes slowly examining each face as if to be sure they were all still alright, "well, they're like you. Travelers who just happen to find their way here, and they have some pretty interesting things to say when they start talking."

"Such as?" It was like pulling teeth from Margaret, he thought, and she smiled slyly. She knew it too, but just chose to be a hard-ass, it seemed.

"Depends on what you choose to believe." She gave a shrug, then inhaled her cigarette again. "Some say those zombies are faster, more dangerous in the south. Or that they just don't seem to die as easy as the northern corpses. Most common I hear is that there's just more of 'em in the southern states for some reason."

Law narrowed his eyes, mulling over what she'd said. He was a little disappointed, but he couldn't really blame her for not having any useful or pertinent information. It had been too eager of him to expect specifics or scientific data.

"You're a tough sell, aren't you?" She grinned slowly, studying his face with intrigue. Her blue eyes danced with the firelight, giving her a wistful look full of life. Law said nothing, and eventually she chuckled to herself. "I know it ain't much, but we learn a thing or two when you make it this far. You know, little things that save your skin."

"Why was the city so empty?" Penguin blurted out between chews of his meat. His curiosity had been eating at him ever since arriving in the place. Margaret turned her attention to Law's friend and smiled again.

"We cleared the town out little by little, so supply runs would be much safer. And, if we ever got the fortifications and manpower, we could hopefully work to retake the place, build it back up maybe."

"What about the bodies?" Was Shachi's question.

She gestured somewhere in the dark. "We burned them. Stinks like hell, but it gets rid of the rot. Better than just leaving the piles in the streets."

"Hmm." Law hummed to himself. It was more of indifference than anything. Just another fact to file away for later.

The little group was silent for a few moments after that, staring into the fire or finishing their meal, listening to nothing but the background murmurs of quiet discussion from the other group members.

Law snuck glances over at Margaret every once in awhile, trying to gauge just who she was. She didn't look like any sort of military or armed forces member, there was an innocence and hope that couldn't be explained, and based on the actions and words of those around her, she commanded full authority. Just who was she?

"Don't know what to make of me?" She asked with a chuckle and another drag on her cigarette. "I used to be a second-grade teacher, mostly in the slum district with the less fortunate kids." It was as if she'd read his mind, turning her attention back onto him. Law resisted the urge to look surprised. "But, I know what you might think. How does someone like me get here? In charge of people's lives?"

"It's a fair question." He supplied, tilting his head to regard her, then gestured for her to continue. "Enlighten me."

She sighed wistfully. "Well, you go from herding whiney, tantrum-ridden brats to finding yourself stuck in a group of four or five people who don't know how to cooperate, surrounded by mobs of zombies knocking on the doors of the school…you figure out  _pretty_  quick just how much you're capable of, especially when no one else is willing to pick up the slack." She explained squarely.

"They say some people are born to lead, and others have leadership thrust upon them, well, you could say it was a mixture of both, I guess." Her eyes took on a faraway look, and she returned her gaze to the fire, saying nothing more.

Again, they lapsed into a silence that lasted much longer this time, giving them all time to dwell on their thoughts and come to terms with the situation. In Law's case, he was still trying to figure out if this place was for real, or if they'd need to work out an escape plan here soon. Some of the crowd of people had disappeared, assumably gone to bed. The moon was high in the sky now, the crescent shape giving little in terms of light to see by.

He looked to Shachi and Penguin, wondering what they thought of this place. Shachi had been hesitant from the start, too cautious to believe something this good could be true. Penguin was much more trusting, having hope that things would work out. He desperately wanted it to, Law knew. And a part of himself did too.

_If we're gonna survive all of this, mankind I mean, then I've gotta believe in something._

Lexi's words from long ago made him think. At some point, he'd have to trust someone or something he didn't want to, maybe now was the time. Maybe he should have a little faith for once. Maybe…

To be more like Lexi…

"I wish circumstances were better than they are," Margaret started, sighing deeply with regret, as if she weren't happy with what she were about to say, "but these aren't ideal times and all.

"We don't have the resources to hold onto every straggler we get wandering in here. So if you were planning to stay…" She paused, looking between the three in anticipation of an answer.

Law honestly didn't have one, and he too looked over at his friends, curious as to what they thought. The problem was, they were looking to him for direction. Great.

"Honestly, we don't know if we will stay." Law finally responded, giving her a blank look. "How can I be sure this place isn't some sort of death trap?"

"I can tell you have to be 100% sure about everything if you are going to make a decision, but me telling you that you can trust me isn't going to make you trust me, is it?" She asked grimly, but that knowing grin played at the edges of her lips.

Smart woman, Law thought. Slowly, he shook his head.

"Fair enough." She surmised, standing from her seat, flicking the butt of the cigarette into the flames of the fire. "We'll let you sleep here for the night, that is, if you don't feel like you'll be stabbed in the back in your sleep."

After a second of silence, Law nodded that it was fine. He could set up a watch between the three of them anyways, so they'd be fine.

"In the morning, we can decide how useful your skills would be to the group, and depending on that, if you can stay." She finished, grinning once again. "Sound good?"

Penguin and Shachi nodded with shrugs, content with that arrangement. A night's sleep would do them all good anyways, as the day had been a long one, filled with hiking through the woods.

"Great!" Margaret proclaimed, straightening her black hair and sticking a thumb behind her shoulder. "I'll show you to your beds for the night."


	11. Unfamiliar Places

Shachi, Penguin, and Law were escorted to one of the trailers at the back-most end of the camp, directly opposite the main gate and smack dab in the middle of the ring of vehicles. It was a beat-up, rusting old thing. Once painted a pale green, the layer of color was severely aged and chipped away more than it was present, eroded by weather and littered with the odd dent or two. Or twelve. Margaret had stopped in front and presented it with a wide grin and a sweeping arm, as if showing off her most prized possession.

"Welcome to the guest suite!" She'd said, chuckling at their dubious expressions. Her cheeriness never wavered, but 'suite' was a bit of an understatement in their opinion.

Inside wasn't much better, though the exterior hadn't given them high expectations to begin with. Without any electricity, they were forced to use Margaret's flashlight to see anything at all, and it wasn't too flattering. Most of the interior workings had been stripped from inside, allowing more room for the occupants to move around. The front seat had been removed, the door to the toilet was gone, including the toilet itself. When asked about it, Margaret said they didn't have a way of cleaning out the tanks without creating a disgusting mess, so they were removed from all but one, the designated trailer just for that purpose at the other end of the encampment.

On either side of the main living space was a bed, covered in a nest of old, graying blankets. They looked disturbed, like someone had slept there previously, but not recently. According to their host, there was another one further back behind a curtain, what would have once been the 'master bedroom.'

"Any newcomers who come through sleep here." Margaret had explained, letting them wander the inside to familiarize themselves with their temporary shelter. "If we decide they can stay, we'll assign them another camper with more permanent items later, but this should do ya for the night."

Reminding them once more that their weapons would remain in the hands of Marve, the previously mentioned guard, and that they'd best get as much sleep as they could, she bid them a goodnight and exited out the door, her footsteps carrying her away from them quickly.

"Well, I'm beat." Shachi said immediately after, flopping onto one of the beds set up against the wall. It creaked in protest as he bounced on the mattress, but otherwise looked comfortable enough. He let out a groan as he stretched, curling down to relieve his feet of his boots.

Penguin followed his lead and took up the other bed opposite. "Thank God we found this place…" He muttered, taking off his hat and setting it aside. Shachi grunted a low agreement but said nothing more, too focused on the objective of sleep.

Law wasn't too broken up about having to take the bed in the back. It would give him some time with his thoughts, perhaps. Skirting past them up the center aisle, Law pulled aside the tan curtain hanging from the ceiling over the doorway and peered inside.

Fitting the overall quality of the rest of the camper, Law wouldn't exactly call it spectacular or five star, but it would do. You couldn't be too picky these days anyways. Options tended to be limited. A queen-sized bed was set against the wall, two small side tables installed on either side. He opened them out of curiosity and found nothing inside. Unsurprising.

He glanced back and noticed that both of his companions were already laying down and making themselves comfortable for the night. They must have been worn out from the long day of hiking, and he didn't blame them. He too was rather exhausted, but the fear of being in an unfamiliar place without his weapons was making it difficult to relax.

Not for the first time since arriving at what Margaret had called 'Woodsville,' an overtly unoriginal and creatively lacking name to be quite honest, Law reached behind him and rubbed between his shoulder blades, missing the constant, reliable weight of his sword on his back. It was probably locked away in a drawer somewhere, kept under watchful eye of a guard or two. Margaret's condition for entering the camp was a logical and practical one, but he'd still much prefer to keep his primary means of protection on him. You never knew who you couldn't trust.

Law fully opened the curtain door dividing the two rooms, ensuring he had a full view of the whole living area to keep watch, and dropped his pack beside him on the floor. They'd been searched thoroughly when their weapons had been confiscated, but after deeming that there was nothing else dangerous in their possession, the rest of their things had been returned.

His boots were deposited on the floor and he lowered himself onto the bed, testing the softness of the mattress. Expecting to feel the sharp dig of metal springs poking against his backside, he was pleasantly relieved to find that it was more durable and comfortable than he'd first thought. At least it didn't appear to creak with every shift, as Shachi's had done. That was a plus. After a moment, he let himself lay flat on his back and released a reluctant sigh of approval.

He closed his eyes, shifting his shoulders until they weren't so hunched beneath his weight, and moved his arm to rest beneath his head, the other set easily next to his thigh. Breathing evening out, the darkness inside gently coaxing him to rest easy, Law almost forgot about assigning the watch for the night. Damn him if he wasn't going to make sure they weren't murdered in their sleep. Cracking open an eye, he raised his head a few inches to see over the foot of the bed.

"Penguin? Shachi?" He called, waiting several moments after but receiving no answer. Frowning, he sat up and looked over at the other beds, noticing that they weren't moving a muscle. He almost panicked, fearing they'd been poisoned or something similar, but a soft snore on Shachi's part turned that fear into amusement, a grin sliding in place as he realized they'd fallen asleep in a matter of minutes.

Shaking his head ruefully, Law let his head rest against the pillow again, staring up through half-lidded eyes at the ceiling. It was good that the others were able to find sleep so quickly, but he had little faith his own overactive mind would let him do the same. It would seem he'd be the only watch that night.

Outside, he could still hear people talking mutedly, a stray laugh or shout catching his ear on occasion. A reminder that they weren't alone. And as much as it gave some sort of reassurance of having human company instead of undead, the thought of strangers didn't ease all of his worries.

* * *

 

Not surprising, Law had a rough time getting to sleep at all.

As it turned out, the guards they'd seen on top of the barricade at the gate would circle the entire encampment every so often, and that meant walking along the roof of each one so they could survey the area all around them, their boots thumping heavily and rather loudly against the metal of the overhead.

The first time this happened, Law had shot out of the bed in search of his sword, cursing when he couldn't find it. Only after the man above coughed or cleared his throat did he remember where he was and who had made the noise. Thankfully, he hadn't made it through the process of waking the others up before he calmed down enough to lay back in the bed once more.

Even when his heavy eyelids had nearly convinced him it was safe enough to give into the sleep he so desperately needed, some noise would put him on edge again, or he'd begin overthinking to the point of resisting sleep entirely, just to keep watch. His skin buzzed with the preparation to be on his feet and rushing to Penguin and Shachi should the need arise. It was an exhausting but familiar routine he'd engrained into his head, as they'd often have to rely on it while keeping watch in the woods at night.

All through the night, his sleep would be disturbed or shaken off, and eventually light began to filter in through the blinds over the small window, the cabin gradually growing brighter and brighter until he could see the interior in more detail than he'd been able to before.

Some time after, he could hear the sound of doors opening nearby, and he assumed this was the other group members waking up for the day. Voices grew louder, but didn't quite reach the level of yelling.

He sighed, rubbing away the crusty feeling of fatigue at his eyes and pushed up from the bed. Though he'd gotten less than a few hours of sleep in total, Law had worked with less before, and so swung his legs over the bed and stooped to put on his boots, standing and wandering into the living area just outside the doorway.

"Hey." He called easily, observing his two companions. Penguin was wrapped completely, akin to a burrito, in the many blankets the bed had provided. The cocoon of fabric looked smothering, but somehow he looked fast asleep and completely comfortable.

Shachi on the other hand had half of his limbs draped over the edge of the bed, his face smashed into the pillow, mouth open, and drool creating a wet spot in the fabric. All of the blankets were pushed to the opposite side of the bed, not touching him at all.

Law sighed and shook his head, but walked closer. He'd rather leave them to get a bit more rest, but with the camp waking up and going about their day, he wanted to see how things worked around here, and be ready and waiting if things turned south.

Grabbing the end of one of the blankets wrapped around Penguin, Law pulled, bringing the sleeping man with it as he rolled over the edge of the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Son of a bitch!" Came his muffled curse, instantly awoken with the impact to the floor. Struggling to free himself from the mass of blankets now trapping him as he scramble up from the ground, his eyes flicked back and forth frantically, trying to identify whatever had-

Law's chuckling form stared down at him with a smirk, and he went limp with an annoyed sigh. "Seriously?"

"I tried shaking you but you were out cold." Their leader lied through his smirk, just for the point of doing so.

"Like hell you did." Penguin grumbled, finally unraveling the blankets around him and standing from the floor. In the commotion it seemed Shachi had awoken as well, and he rubbed at his eyes in amusement.

"Sucks to be you." He commented unsympathetically, but even he was not spared that morning as Law turned to him next.

"Might want to wipe off all that drool." He gestured to Shachi's face.

"Huh?" Frowning, the redhead brought up his hand and felt at the corner of his mouth, feeling the cold, wet feeling of saliva that had began to dry on his face. Scrunching his face in disgust, he swatted at his face to try to remove the evidence. "Aw, come on!" He muttered, trying to ignore the amusement in Penguin's and Law's expressions.

"Should I tell the ladies of the camp you drool in your sleep?" Law teased, crossing his arms smugly. Served them both right for messing with him on the road. The threat had the desired affect, and he shut up fairly quickly after that. And with that, Law walked to the front of the trailer, peering out the small window in the door to view the outside.

"Everyone's waking up now, so we shouldn't be too long after."

"Ooh, wonder what's for breakfast?" Penguin asked no one in particular, now a bit more eager to get up and ready for the day.

* * *

 

"Sorry, boys. I may have forgotten to mention." Margaret rubbed at her bedhead as she stood from her chair in front of the fire pit, trying to smooth it back into a semblance of normal with an apologetic expression. "We don't eat breakfast around here."

"No breakfast?" Shachi almost shouted his outrage, but realized at the last minute an outburst like that would probably just draw unwanted attention their way. Not to mention, it would sound completely whiney and childish. Still, he couldn't help but wonder. "Why?"

She shrugged and waved them to follow her as she walked down to the front gate of the camp. "Look, Marve wasn't lying last night when he said we were low on food. We are. So, to try to ration out our supplies, we only have a light lunch and dinner everyday."

Law hadn't been expecting a free, complimentary breakfast anyways, so he wasn't too bummed that they weren't going to be given any sort of food anyways. His stomach grumbled lightly in protest, but otherwise he gave no outward protest. Shachi and Penguin, however, weren't as disciplined.

"Damnit…" Penguin muttered low under his breath, but Margaret still seemed to hear it. Her signature chuckle of amusement broke the silence that followed.

"I get it. Just saved from starvation and you can't get enough." She stopped just outside the entrance gate, cocked her hip and placed a hand on one side, looked decidedly sassy as she smirked at the three companions. "Trust me, if we had some food to spare, I'd readily give it to you, but we just don't have the freedom to funnel all our supplies at three strangers."

"I wouldn't either, if I were in your position." Law answered truthfully, regarding her with a careful eye. She still hadn't earned his trust, in fact, no more than a fraction probably born of the gratitude for feeding them when they were on the brink of death. He still couldn't tell if she  _could_  be trusted, and he wasn't about to start unless she truly gave them a reason to.

In turn, she regarded him just as carefully, eyes inspecting the tattoos he knew were poking out from under the sleeve of his shirt. It was a fairly predictable move, since most people he met immediately were drawn to the black ink adorning his skin. However, her eyes seemed to linger just a moment longer than was necessary, as if caressing the skin with her gaze alone. Her blue eyes flicked back up to see him staring, intentionally holding her there with his eyes to be sure he knew, indeed, that she was taking her ample time.

That sly smirk seemed to grow, before she turned and knocked on the metal siding of the nearest trailer. "Marve! You got what we need?"

There was a shuffle, then a metallic creak, and then the door to the trailer opened, revealing the bald, bearded profile of the guard himself. Just as before, he held a semi-automatic rifle in his hands. His suspicious glance towards the three men was no surprise, but he just ignored them and turned to Margaret with a nod, patting the shoulder strap of the backpack he had on. "All set to go."

"Great, let's get moving." She turned back to them and smiled as Marve exited the trailer, heading towards the entrance to the camp.

Law narrowed his eyes, not quite sure what was happening. "Where are we going?"

The chain locking the gate in place was removed, and Marve gave a gruff reply only a second later. "Target practice. We ain't just gonna let any damn fool to stay in our camp and eat our food. You lot wanna stay? You've gotta pull your weight. We don't take slackers."

The bald man turned to cast a stern glare in Law's direction, and the younger man simply raised a brow, wondering what had put the man in such a sour mood. Well, come to think of it, it wasn't that hard to guess. Obviously he didn't like having to trust new and strange men crowding his home.

Margaret stepped forwards in between them, though they were already a few feet apart. It was an unspoken end to the tension they had yet to break between them. "What Marve is trying to say is that we want to see what areas you're skilled in. Most of the residents here have daily jobs and tasks, whether that be going out to scavenge supplies, or to help grow the plants in the garden. We just want to see where you guys fall on that spectrum."

"You could've just asked us." Shachi shrugged, not seeing the point in going to such a length to test them. "Penguin and I are mechanics or engineers, whatever you want to call it. Well, we  _used_ to be before…you know."

"And Law was a doctor." Penguin added, gesturing to his friend. "Certified and everything."

"A doctor, huh?" Margaret raised a brow and narrowed her eyes, seemingly looking at him in a new light. This time, her gaze didn't feel quite so invasive or…suggestive, as before. Yes, that was the word. She'd  _definitely_  been looking at him that way. And that only made him more wary of her. This time though, the look was nothing but calculating and serious.

"Saying it and knowing it are two different things, and pardon me if I'd like to be sure of who I'm letting stay in my camp. First, show me you're a good shot and we'll go from there." So saying, she stepped past Marve and out the gate, into the forest waiting beyond. Marve gave them all a glare that said 'one wrong step and you'll get a bullet in your brain.' He gestured out the door for them to go, and Penguin and Shachi were the first to comply.

Realizing that he had no weapon to take control of the situation with, Law eventually followed after his two friends, wanting to keep them in sight until,  _if,_  he was sure this place was everything it seemed. Marve kept a wide berth between them as he passed, which Law was fine with. The further away he stayed, the better. Tangling with the armed guard wasn't high on his bucket list.

Outside the gate, Margaret stood with Penguin and Shachi, waiting for Marve and Law to exit. Once they were all outside the main gate, someone inside latched the chain back into place and took Marve's place on watch.

"What, you've got like targets or something set up out here?" Shachi asked, looking around as if they were in plain sight. The woman started walking off in a particular direction, opposite that of the way they'd originally found this place.

"Yup. Just up here. This place used to be a summer camp for kids and all that, so there's an archery range, a dock, etc."

There was silence for a few moments as they took that information in, then Penguin visibly searched the area for something, before shaking his head in confusion. "Don't summer camps usually have…cabins? Are there none here?"

She turned to look at him, walking backwards through the woods, finding each step with confidence as if she'd walked this path a thousand times. Law was willing to bet she had. "Oh, there used to be. Several years back there was a big forest fire in this area, burned most of the buildings down. The city decided not to rebuild and just tore the remaining structures down."

It wasn't until it was mentioned did Law notice the old, blackened remnants of trees that had burned where they stood, newer trees having already grown into adulthood around them. There was definitely evidence of a fire having once been here, and it certainly looked like it had happened awhile ago.

"If they'd left the few buildings that had stayed intact, most of us wouldn't be living in trailers." Margaret surmised, almost as if talking to herself more than anything. Then, she shrugged and resumed walking frontwards. "Nothing to do about that now, though."

Penguin and Shachi asked her more about what the area was like before the apocalypse, a topic Law was less than interested in, so naturally he zoned into his own thoughts and ignored their conversation. Marve walked silently behind the group, keeping a lookout for any zombies that might be nearby, but also closely watching the three of them.

Law's back prickled with unease at having an armed man at his back. An armed man who he didn't know or trust. Every fiber of his body was screaming that this was a bad idea, being led into the woods with people they couldn't be sure of, unarmed. This could readily be their death.

* * *

 

They didn't have to walk much farther to find the archery range. The camp had been set up just five minutes from where the summer camp cabins had once stood. Large squares of concrete foundations still sat, partially blackened and cracking in the middle of the forest path. Law could count at least four of them, but Margaret led them past these and down what had once been a smoothed-out walking path in the center of the camp. On the other side was a clear space, about a hundred yard long.

At the far end of the space were four archery targets, all of them already riddled with bullet holes. Law raised a brow and wondered how she planned on seeing how accurate their shots were with a target like that.

Margaret stopped at the edge of the clearing and the boys did the same. Marve, however, kept walking towards the target with a sense of purpose.

"We'll set up a temporary paper target, so that way we can see where your shots hit." She explained, watching as Marve stopped in front of one of the targets in particular, and dropped the backpack on the ground to rummage inside.

"How many times have you done this?" Law questioned seriously, turning his attention away from the man down the range. She shrugged, never taking her eyes off of the targets.

"Few dozen? Maybe more? You lose count in the span of a few years."

"There've been that many people come through?" Penguin's tone portrayed his doubt.

"It's not like I know the way the universe works." She rolled her eyes in response, crossing her arms. "All I know is you're not the first ones to come through looking for a place to call home, and you definitely won't be the last, regardless if we let you stay or not."

"Who says we planned on staying?" Law countered, instantly regretting his words when both Penguin and Shachi glanced his way. His reply had been meant to keep her from thinking they were relying on her decision alone as to what their fate would be. He didn't want her thinking she held all this power over them, or that they owed her anything. But the surprise, then the hurt, and then the disappointment from his friends all conglomerated into one sad look on both their faces and he almost couldn't take it.

It only lasted a moment, before they looked away and shared a glance of their own, but he'd seen it. It had been there. And he knew he'd have to discuss this with them at one point. Ever the tactician, Law didn't let his own emotion give way as Margaret scrutinized him at his answer.

"Well, we aren't making you stay. You can leave at any time, but if you  _do_  decide to settle in, I want to be sure I'd even let you."

Fearing he'd slip up and say something stupid again, Law remained quiet, turning to watch Marve return from setting up the makeshift target. It was nothing more than a big piece of paper with a few red rings and a bullseye drawn on in some kind of paint.

He placed the backpack down besides Margaret and she rummaged inside for something. "Wish we had a better method of testing marksmanship, but we'll have to make do with what we have." The pistol she pulled out from within was small, a standard glock found at any sporting goods store. It may have been small but it would get a job done decently. " We don't have many bullets to spare, so you'll only take one shot each. Make it count."

So saying, she took a single bullet from a box and kept them in her hand, standing and passing the presumably unloaded gun to Law. "You first."

* * *

 

As expected, they all passed Margaret's little shooting test. It wasn't that hard to begin with anyways, but she seemed satisfied with the results. They'd trekked back to the camp not even an hour later to find that a group of people were setting out to go scavenging. Margaret met with them all personally and sent them on their way, warning they be careful and have each other's backs.

Marve returned back to the trailer at the front of the camp directly next to the gate, but only after he'd made sure that Margaret would be fine with them alone. She'd had to reassure him several times that she could take care of herself within the camp. With much reluctance, he'd relented and tromped off with his backpack of things.

Once he'd left, she returned her attention back onto Law's group. "Alright, so you two are mechanics, right? Are cars the only thing you know how to fix?"

Law knew exactly what was coming the moment before it did, and he couldn't help the tiny up twitch at the corner of his mouth. Boy, was she in for it now.

It took less than a second for both boys to freeze and look her way. Shachi most of all had the dignity to look completely offended at her question. "Did you just…ask if we only knew…about cars?" He repeated emphatically, as if she'd asked him if he were a man. "Are you kidding me lady?"

Penguin was right on the same page as his companion, scoffing in obvious disgust. "What engineer knows only how to fix  _cars?_ "

"Is she serious right now?" Shachi asked his friend, raising both eyebrows in obvious doubt.

"Woah, ok. Looks like I touched a nerve there." Margaret chuckled a little, but Law could see the obvious surprise and confusion evident on her face. If only to spare the long list of things they  _did_  in fact know about, he stepped in to avoid having to listen to that particular string of conversation yet again.

"They know how to fix pretty much anything. You name it, they've worked on it."

"Even trailers?" She asked hopefully, eyes lighting up in excitement at the prospect. They both nodded eagerly.

"Easy peasy."

"What about architecture? Building structures?"

Penguin rubbed his chin, sharing a long look with Shachi as if looking for the right answer. "Hmm…depends on what it is. Got something in mind?"

Margaret gestured behind them at the entrance gate. "We could use a bit more structure to our defenses. There's a few places between some of that trailers that have started to break away."

"Oh, yeah we could definitely look into it."

"Perfect, I'll introduce you to our repairmen." Margaret smiled, leading them away towards yet another part of the camp.

They followed the line of trailers until they came upon two in particular, and the wall built between them. A pair of men were handling wooden boards and other scraps of metal to try to repair a break in the barricade.

"Shachi, Penguin, this is Alejandro," she gestured to a darker-skinned, young man of about twenty hammering a board into place in the side of the trailer; he glanced their way at the mention of his name, "and this is Terence." The other man looked their way, an older gentleman with thick metal-rimmed glasses and a receding hairline.

"Hiya, fellas." He said with a grin, holding up a hammer in greeting. "Are these the new ones, Margaret?" His gaze shifted over the three unfamiliar faces with interest, no doubt wondering just who these people were and if they were joining the group.

"Mhmm." She assured, turning back to her guests. "These two are the main fixers around here. Helped build up this wall when we first started getting things going."

The two mechanics of the group stood as they were introduced to Law's friends. They all shook hands and said their hellos, before the black-haired woman crossed her arms with a tilted head. "I want you two to show Shachi and Penguin around the place, see if they really know their stuff like they say they do."

"Sounds good." Alejandro nodded, wiping away at some sweat on his forehead from the previous work. There was a hint of a Spanish accent in his words, but it was almost unnoticeable.

Margaret gestured for Shachi and Penguin to follow her two men, and they lead them further away down the line of trailers disappearing behind two of them. Law felt uneasy being unable to see them, but he supposed they couldn't exactly be attached at the hip the whole time they were there. Still, he didn't like leaving his friends to the care of unknown persons.

Margaret must have sensed his discomfort, because she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts. "Don't worry, we're not all psychotic killers, you know."

He raised a brow in an obvious gesture of being unconvinced and stepped away from her touch, not wanting to be so close with someone he knew nothing about. If she was offended by it, she didn't show it. "That is yet to be seen." He muttered just loud enough for her to hear." As he was quickly discovering to be just her personality, she chuckled and turned away, walking away from the trailer and heading in a different direction, forcing Law to follow.

"Well, I don't blame you for not trusting us. Two years out on your own and then suddenly," she gestured all around her, "you're surrounded by people? I'd be wary too. I totally understand."

Her last words there,  _I totally understand,_  they irked him, but he did nothing more than frown, continuing to follow her to whatever destination she had in mind.

It was another trailer, of course. Not much variety in terms of setting within the camp. This one looked remarkably clean compared to the other ones surrounding it, and he wondered what it was for. Margaret stepped up the few stairs leading to the door and knocked several times before opening it.

"Tara? You in here?" She called, pushing through the entryway and into the inside of the trailer. Law followed after, more curious as to what this camper served as within the camp. The white interior was spotless, almost all of the interior working completely stripped out.

Instead, he found himself walking into a makeshift infirmary, complete with a single cot-style bed and the original sink still in place at the other end.

A red-headed woman poked her head out from a curtain from where a bedroom would have been. "Yeah, sorry, just finishing up organizing the medications we've got." She gave a strange look at Law, and then disappeared back behind the curtain. Margaret wandered inside and inspected shelves that had been made specifically for the function of an infirmary, holding small containers of various medical items that required no electricity to run; cotton balls, bandages, swabs, etc.

"So, you were a doctor, huh?" She started, taking a seat on the cot, her legs dangling over the edge. Law continued to inspect the trailer, wondering how they took care of medical emergencies and other health issues. Just from a first glance, they had much more than he'd seen in one place in a  _long_  time. Ever since his days working at a modern, electricity-fueled clinic when the world hadn't descended into the dead coming back to life.

Remembering she'd asked a question, he nodded. "Yes, I was."

"Alright, so what kind?" She pried some more, bringing one leg to rest beneath the other, so only one dangled over the edge of the bed. "There's so many different types of doctors, you can't be an expert at everything."

He shrugged. "Cardiothoracic Surgeon."

Margaret paused a moment, squinting. "So…heart surgeon, right?"

He nodded again. "Essentially."

Before she could ask anymore questions, Tara reappeared from behind the curtain, pulling her red hair up into a pony tail. "What's up?" She once again glanced at Law, before turning her gaze back onto Margaret. "Who's this?"

"Tara, meet Law. He's one of the men who came in last night." Margaret gestured between them, and the redhead nodded in understanding.

"Oh, that's great!" She reached forward to shake his hand, and he only hesitated briefly in reciprocating. Then, Tara looked a little concerned. "Is there something I can do for you? If you're injured you should have come to me sooner…"

"No, I'm fine." He reassured, shaking his head quickly so she didn't misunderstand. "Margaret was just showing me around."

"Law here is a doctor. Certifiable." The woman in question supplied, grinning widely. "I was hoping you might be able to glean if he would be of any help around here."

Law spared her only a glance, raising a brow at her words. Well, at the very least Margaret didn't mince words. She was straight to the point. Tara sighed deeply, running a hand along her pony tail to straighten it out.

"Honestly, anyone would be a help around here, doctor or not." She shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed. Her nervous laugh was a feeble attempt at covering it up. "I'm not medically trained or anything like that. I was the only one out of anyone here to have taken a medical anatomy class back in high school so…guess that makes me the expert, huh?"

"Don't sell yourself short. Without you around, we wouldn't be nearly as well off as we are." Margaret reassured, sending Tara a warm smile. This seemed to ease the woman's worries just a bit, because she didn't look quite as ashamed as before.

"Well, I'd certainly take the advice of a real doctor."

"Great, if he really knows his stuff, we'll let him and his friends stick around." The black-haired woman turned her gaze back onto him. "If someone comes in for any reason, let me know and we'll have him try a hand at it, just to make sure he's as trained as he says."

It was slightly irritating to be spoken about as if he wasn't around, and Tara had at least the courtesy to looked a little uncomfortable at the entire situation, but Margaret didn't seem like she cared either way. Then, she hopped off the cot and sighed.

"Well, I think I'll let you two get acquainted. In the meantime, I've got to meet with Marve and inventory our ammunition." She paused, seeing the incredulously expression Law was giving her. Obviously he couldn't understand how she'd be so willing to leave him alone with a member of her group without worrying about her safety. She smirked, reading his mind. "It's called trust, Law. Unlike you, I'm not afraid to extend it."

And with that, she walked past the two and out the door of the trailer. It clanked shut behind her, leaving Law alone with the redhead woman.


	12. This Isn't Our Home

Law and Tara were plunged into an awkward silence after Margaret took her leave, the only sound was the occasional creak of the trailer and the noise of people talking outside. The redhead stood with crossed arms, leg bouncing nervously as she tried to think of something to say, anything to break the tense air that sat between them. He really wasn't one to start off conversations, and he wasn't about to start now. Though, he was still interested in the supplies they had available.

Instead of partaking in the awkward glances that Tara seemed to be sending in his direction, all the while tucking her hair over and over again behind her ear, Law let his gaze mingle over the counters again, then past the redhead to the curtained room where the medications apparently were. He pushed off from the counter and began walking back there, which apparently brought Tara from her silent funk as she hurried to grab his arm.

"Hey, you're not supposed to go back there." She warned, though her words slowly became quieter until the last word was little more than a mutter. When he stopped to turn back and look at her curiously, she let go of his arm quickly, wringing her hands out of nerves. "I'm uh…I'm the only one who's allowed behind there." She finished with a stutter.

"Says who?" Law challenged, raising a brow.

"Margaret. She doesn't want people stealing the medication, so I'm the only one allowed…back there." Tara explained, shrugging with an embarrassed laugh. "But, I guess that rule was more for the people who weren't 'medically trained'…like me." She air quoted, mocking her own self-description. Not once did her brown eyes meet his for more than a split second.

Law could practically see the woman sweating where she stood. This girl's nerves certainly ruled her, perhaps more than was healthy. By the looks of it, she knew it too, but didn't quite know how to combat it.

Had he trusted her more, he would have felt a bit more sympathy. But he didn't. Shrugging at the given explanation, he continued closer to the curtain. "I'd say I'm the exception to that rule."

"D-did Margaret say you could?" She asked, watching as he pulled the curtain aside and stepped into what had once been a bedroom area.

His eyes took on a mischievous glint, but he didn't turn to look her way. "Well, she didn't specifically say I  _couldn't._ "

Law stepped further in, inspecting the walls with interest. It was obvious the trailer had been customized with the walls of shelves that were installed in the side, holding bottles and bottles of medications and creams. They were crude, and somewhat uneven, but they were sturdy and did the job.

The bed had been taken out, leaving a wide open space where he could walk into. Covering the floor was a dirty rug, probably just to fill the space and covering where the rivets had held the bed in place. As he stepped over the brown, shag material, he could feel a raised bump here and there where one of the bolts had been.

Stepping closer to the shelves, he could feel Tara hovering close behind him, no doubt fretting over what he was doing. With a minute shake of his head, he ignored her for the moment and reached out for the closest bottle on the shelf.

"I just…organized those, if you don't remember." Tara mentioned, silently asking him not to touch it.

"Relax." Law said, sighing deeply as he turned the bottle over to see the back. Where they'd gotten intense probiotics and some of the more specific medications was beyond him, but he was undoubtedly impressed by their stock of medicine. His fingers drifted lazily over the bottles, recognizing some brands names and others being unfamiliar to him. All the while Tara stood behind him, fretting constantly. He could almost feel her uneasiness, the thick awkwardness in the air, it was stifling.

"Don't…steal the medication." The words themselves were decisive, but the way her voice wobbled, hesitating halfway through, told him that even if his intentions were to take it for himself, there wasn't a god damn thing she'd do about it. Besides maybe scream. Or cry. Or both. He couldn't quite tell.

Setting the bottle in his hand back on the shelf, he turned to glance her way. "If I were stealing things, trust me, you wouldn't know about it."

Tara opened, then closed, then opened her mouth again, searching for some kind of response to that. She wasn't sure if that was a joke, or if he were being serious. Law's expression gave nothing away, and he went back to inspecting the labels again.

"Some of these…are specialty name drugs." He discovered, picking up and replacing bottles as he moved down the shelf, his opinion of the makeshift infirmary growing as he looked over their stock. "How in the hell did you find them?"

It took a moment for her to recover from his last disclosure, frowning at his sudden change in topic, but explained anyways. "The men bring them back from scavenging trips. Most came from the old hospital in town…but you'd have to ask them." Tara admitted, rubbing at the sides of her arms in discomfort. She teetered back and forth on her heels, watching him peruse their inventory.

"Um…" She started again, biting at her lower lip uncertainly. Law resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes, quickly losing patience with her personality already.

"What?" He asked, none too gently. The outburst practically made her flinch.

"What kind of doctor were you?" She asked in a rush, as if getting the question out quicker would somehow ease the tension. "Like, a dermatologist? Or, a dentist? Wait, are dentists called doctors at all?"

"Cardiothroacic Surgeon." He repeated for the second time that morning. Ah, that's right. She was only slightly medically trained. And by slightly, he really meant barely. Seeing the confusion at the medical terminology, and the upcoming question, he added, "Chest and heart surgeon."

Laymen's terms seemed to be the only way to speak to her, as the confusion immediately clear away. "Ah, right."

Then, feeling frustrated, he shook his head slowly. "What medical student doesn't know what those terms mean?"

Tara's face flushed, and she proceeded to bite her lip again. "Um…it's been several years since I took that class…I don't remember a whole lot, honestly."

"Maybe you should have asked them to try finding you a medical book to study from." He muttered, wondering just how many people had died due to her negligence in the past. If she didn't even know what cardiothoracic meant, how would she have known how to treat something involving it?

"Yeah, I tried that. They did find one, awhile back…" She frowned, thinking hard as she walked over to the counter, pulling out a drawer and producing a thick, stout book of folding, bending, and creased pages. "But it's almost unreadable to me. I can't understand most of what it's saying."

Tara brought the book over to the medication room again, opening to the middle so Law could see for himself. He read a few sentences, skipping over the page to get the gist of what it contained. It was a coding book, used for reimbursement purposes. While it didn't explain what the procedures were, it occasionally had diagrams for certain codes that were more common than others.

"Take away some of the specific terminology and these are pretty basic words." He raised a brow in her direction. "Do you know what a stent is? Or a tourniquet?"

Wordlessly, she shook her head, her cheeks growing a bit red from embarrassment.

He couldn't resist rolling his eyes this time. "How have you managed to keep  _anyone_  alive this far without knowing the easiest of medical concepts?" His words were hurtful, he knew, and she must have taken them that way, because she seemed to retreat even further into herself than she already had been. If that were even possible. Any smaller and she'd implode.

"Well, they seem easy to you because you learned them for years!" Tara shrugged, sighing as she closed the book with a snap and replaced it back in the drawer. "Look, I'm not a doctor, ok? And I never will be. I get that. But if I had a teacher or some way to learn the stuff, I could actually start using those skills…somewhat…"

Law noticed the opportunity she subtly presented him with, to offer to teach her the terms since he was a doctor, but he didn't feel that inclined to help her. He felt no obligation to Tara, nor to the group, besides feeding them and giving them a place to stay they hadn't done anything to gain his favor.

He nodded silently, as if agreeing with her statement, but didn't indicate that he was the answer to her problems. She looked disappointed, but said nothing more. She said nothing about the insult to her before, shying away from him to put some distance between the two of them. Law almost felt the inclination to say something, before there was a knock at the door and a man stepped through the trailer door, peeking inside in search of Tara.

"Hey, Tara? Think you could look over those stitches you did a few days ago? Just want to make sure I haven't popped them or anything."

Law sighed quietly, knowing that now was the time his skills would be critiqued, whether he wanted them to or not. Tara, taking a moment to gather herself once more in front of her companion, sent a small smile his way, gesturing to the man as she took a step back, calling to the man who approached the two of them.

"Law's an actual doctor, so I'll let him look it over for you."

* * *

The day passed by slowly, and Law found that the encampment was much too small for his liking. He felt cramped, despite having much more room to wander around in than they normally had while on the road. Small apartment bedrooms were a favorite of his, since they had little else in terms of choices for places to stay sometimes. But they were small, and Law had almost become accustomed to the tight spaces.

Still, the throng of people wandering about, doing their jobs, was still a bit dizzying. While he himself had nothing to do, and he'd spent most of the day doing just that, nothing, the hours ticked by at a snail's pace as he watched other go about their business from his spot by the fire pit. Seeing so many in one place…still amazed and alarmed him.

While he wasn't specifically a psychologist, or a neurologist, or dealt exclusively with mental health issues, he'd seen plenty of patients with such afflictions, he knew the symptoms, the signs. It suddenly occurred to Law that he was exhibiting similar behaviors. PTSD-stricken soldiers, once they returned to the normal life back on the home front, would often still feel as though they were at war, despite knowing they were already home. Perhaps his extreme distrust of others was something akin to the patients he'd seen as a doctor.

Someone passed close behind him, and he had to resist the urge not to round on them with his sword drawn, feeling a sharp shiver run down his back. Then, clenching his fist as he realized where he was, and that his sword was nowhere near his person, he forced his muscles to relax back into the chair. Now was not the time to flip out in front of a crowd of strangers. The person looked at him curiously, raising a brow as they dropped a few more logs onto the unlit fire, before walking away and leaving him be.

He'd officially run out of things to look at a few hours after Law had left the infirmary, tired of being both hounded and annoyed by the resident 'medic,' if he could even call her that. The constant shadow behind him, coupled with a multitude of medical-related questions, combined with her wishy-washy attitude, had him grinding his teeth in silence after only half an hour. And all he'd been doing was redoing a man's stitches. If her stitch work was anything to go by, she had a lot to learn about helping to bring people back to good health, that, and how to properly talk to other people.

The sky was darkening by the time Shachi and Penguin returned from meeting the repair crew, and they both had these huge smiles on their faces, talking quietly between themselves as they waltzed up to their leader.

"Law! Did you know that they have a garden further up the hill?" Shachi stuck a thumb out over his shoulder, gesturing in the general direction of where the supposed garden was. "It's got a pretty big fence surrounding it, so they don't have to worry about zombies wandering inside."

"Garden, huh?" He nodded absentmindedly, somehow unable to tear his eyes away from the cold fire pit. There was nothing amusing or interesting about the cold pile of ashes, but the urge too look away was trumped by some strange pull to stare in the exact same spot just a bit longer.

Penguin sat beside him on the next chair over, letting out a sigh, as if they'd been working all day and this was their first rest so far. "Ah, yeah, it's pretty cool. You should see it sometime. And the girls working over there are pretty hot too-"

"Not like they'd be interested in you or anything." Shachi teased, taking the chair on the opposite side.

"Oh, shut up! You were the one freaking them out."

"Was not."

Law sighed deeply, letting his thin patience with that whole string of conversation be known, and the two of them knew better than to keep bugging him about it. Chances were he'd just get up and walk away to find some peace and quiet, so they both stopped talking about it.

"So, where did Margaret take you?" Penguin asked curiously, crossing his legs at the ankles, leaning back in his chair. "We haven't seen you all day."

"The infirmary." He answered shortly, feeling a fatigue he hadn't known he'd been experiencing. Maybe the darkening sky was lulling him into a sleep he desperately needed.

"They have one?"

At Shachi's question, he nodded his head. "It's in that trailer." He said, pointing to the vehicle in particular that he'd rather not visit again if he had to. "They have quite a bit of medicine stocked up. Even I was impressed." There was no denying that.

"Nice, maybe they can take a look at this rash I've got between my legs…" Shachi itched between his thighs obtrusively.

"Aw, come on man! No one wants to see that!" Penguin cried, kicking at his friend's leg in playful disgust. Shachi laughed mischievously. Law ignored them for the most part, his mind elsewhere.

* * *

Once the sky had set, casting the sky into a deep orange, then red, until it faded into a dull blue, and finally the black night hue, someone wandered up to the fire pit and lit the logs that were there. People began to naturally congregate around the center of the camp, sitting on the dirt and talking amongst themselves, laughing and humming songs that Law didn't know the name of.

It was a quick dinner amongst the camp that night, nothing more than some vegetable from the garden, and a slice of stale, homemade bread that was more chewy than fluffy. The meat from the night before was gone, the carcass of a deer the hunters had managed to take down; a rarity. It seemed they were back to the basic, just-getting-by meal of survivors on the brink. Being used to the meager rations, Law didn't complain, but he knew that Shachi and Penguin weren't too happy with the sparse serving.

Margaret appeared sometime later, once most of the camp had already taken their place around the fire. With every group that she passed by, she'd crouch down and share a few words, making them laugh or just patting them gently on the shoulder, before moving onto the next person. Law watched her carefully, but saw nothing more than a leader encouraging her group. Though, whether this was a normal occurrence, or it was merely for his benefit if he'd happened to be watching, just to get his guard down, he couldn't tell.

Eventually, she reached the center of the camp, just behind the fire and clapped her hands together loudly, drawing everyone's attention. People quieted down enough to hear her speak, and all that could be heard after a moment was the wind and the crackling of the fire.

"Everyone!" She called, loud enough for even those in the back to hear. "Some great work you all did today, really. We've made a lot of progress on our goals."

There were a few whistles and cheers of agreement, before the black-haired woman smiled and continued speaking.

"The walls have been fully repaired from the last horde that came through, thanks to our construction team. We've also got to thank our two new recruits, Shachi and Penguin, for helping think up some new defensive ideas." She gestured to the boys up front, and the crowd began to clap enthusiastically in appreciation. They both sort of blushed and squirmed from the attention, but looked overall pleased to be singled out and praised. Law narrowed his eyes at Margaret but said nothing, holding his tongue. The clapping slowly died away, and she spoke again.

"Not only that, but our scavengers brought in a pretty good haul today. There was some extra cans and boxes of food hidden away in some apartments further east, but we'll save those for another day." She explained, crossing her arms.

"Now, there are a few other things to report. I don't like to say them, but I want you all to be aware of where we stand in terms of resources." The lighthearted mood turned a bit more solemn, and Margaret's smile lost some of it's pep. She paused for a beat, letting the attention fully sink in.

"We are still critically low on food, as you all may know. Water is still an issue too, but we've made do so far with boiling the water from the lake. I've gotten with our cooks, we counted out our stock a dozen times just to be sure." She paused, biting her lip. "We only have enough rationed out for another week or so, then we have to really start to think about what our next move will be."

There were murmurs all around him, and Law was willing to bet that even if the camp knew that things were bad, they hadn't thought it was  _this_  dire. The whispers continued, and Margaret let them, as if waiting for someone to begin yelling or cursing, something Law was half expecting to happen, but nothing did.

"I wanted to make you all aware, so we can plan accordingly. I'll be planning more scavenge missions, and I may send some people out who aren't used to this sort of thing. We need as many people as we can searching for food, seeing as our garden can only produce so much at a time."

The murmurs began to die away, replaced instead by nodding heads and shrugs of noncommittal agreement. No one was opposed with anything Margaret said, and there were no outbursts of rage or fear.

She surveyed her people, sighing as her smile reluctantly returned into something warmer than before. "I'd really appreciate all of you to work your hardest, to bring the most you can for the benefit of our group. We aren't going to be able to go on unless we all do our part. But for tonight, enjoy your meal, get some sleep, and get ready for a busy day tomorrow!"

And with that she nodded mutely and began to walk in his direction. He narrowed his eyes but watched as she approached.

"I heard from Tara today. She said that while you can be a bit of an ass," Law raised a brow at that one, "your medical expertise is invaluable and that we should try to keep you around." Then, she turned to the other two with a wide grin. "Same with you two! We could use minds like yours."

"So…" Shachi started, waiting hopefully for her to go on. She placed a hand on her hip and leaned on one leg, her smile widening once more.

"You're free to stay! All I need is the go ahead from you boys and we'll get you set up in your own little trailer. There's a few empty ones that don't have residents yet."

"Sweet!" Penguin said, fist bumping his friend in excitement. Law said nothing, a fact that Margaret didn't overlook, but she said nothing and walked off towards one of the trailers as conversation resumed amongst the people. Law's eyes followed the black-haired woman until she disappeared behind the closing door of the trailer, supposedly turning in for the night. He sat thinking about her words, frowning slightly out of habit. It was his tendency, something Shachi and Penguin were always quick to point out, that he always scowled when in deep thought, as if to dissuade others from disturbing him.

Either way, judging from the words of their gracious host, it seemed that their miracle of a 'new home' wasn't as remarkable and steadfast as they'd first come to believe. Regardless if they'd been accepted to stay.

* * *

As soon as they returned to the guest trailer, Law returned to the bedroom in the back, where his pack of stuff was still mostly packed. Rarely was it ever completely or even mostly unpacked, given that most places they crashed were very temporary and there was always a good chance they'd have to leave in a hurry. He stuffed the few items that had been taken out back in with the others, zipping it closed with a sigh.

He could hear Shachi and Penguin talking quietly in the trailer behind him, seemingly oblivious to what he was doing. He knew they wouldn't like what he was about to say, but it needed to be said. It needed to be heard. Still, he couldn't help the unenthusiastic sigh that escaped his lips.

When he turned back and slung the bag over his shoulder, Shachi and Penguin were already lounging on their beds, obviously tired from a long day of exploring the camp. He stopped just outside the curtained bedroom, letting them have just another second of peace. He truly didn't want to do this, to crush their hopes for something good, but his cautious nature prevented him from just accepting things the way they were.

Penguin must have felt him standing there, because he turned and saw their leader standing in the doorway with the bag in hand. "What's up, Law? Going somewhere?"

Shachi looked his way as well, curious, and Law sighed again as he glanced between them both in turn.

He didn't necessarily  _have_  to do this, either. He could turn around right there and then, put his bag down, pretend nothing was wrong, and let them sleep. He could say nothing, go against his better judgement and ignore the screaming in his head for once. Ignore the urge for them to keep moving.

But the desire to stay one step ahead was too much, and the words were out before he could stop them.

"I don't think we should stay here."

Silence.

Even more silence.

It was difficult to read their expressions from beneath their hats, but their uncharacteristic lack of words was more than enough to tell him what they must be thinking. The seconds stretched into dozens as he waited for some sort of response, until finally Shachi turned to his friend, and they shared a silent look of their own.

"Why?" Shachi's sudden question pierced the thick air, and just from that one word alone Law could hear the despair and disappointment that he tried to hide in his voice, trying and failing to hide from him, their friend. The hurt he was trying to keep at bay for Law's benefit.

"No matter how much I've tried, or wanted to, I can't trust these people." He explained, shaking his head slowly, looking away in what was closest to shame or disappointment in himself. "There's this feeling of dread and…I can't shake it."

More silence, and Penguin pursed his lips before taking a deep breath. "We just got here, Law. Of course we're going to feel suspicious. We don't know who they are yet, it just needs time."

"We were watching them the whole day, just to make sure nothing was fishy." Shachi supplied, crossing his arms with a shrug as he leaned back against the trailer wall. "Not once did they seem like they were hiding something. Not once."

"That doesn't mean they aren't."

"But it  _is_  a pretty good indication that they're good people." Penguin frowned now, holding up his hands incredulously. "Good people don't have secrets. Good people don't have to act like everything alright, because it actually  _is_."

"You said you can't trust them?" Shachi started, shrugging with a small shake of his head. "Fine. But that doesn't mean that  _we_  can't. They have yet to give me reason to distrust them, honestly."

"Do you actually feel safe here?" Law gestured towards the camp, glancing back and forth between them, willing them to understand where he was coming from. "You've known these people for a day and suddenly you owe them your loyalty? Your lives?"

"They  _saved_  our lives. We were  _starving_  not 24 hours ago." Penguin reminded dully, his mood gradually worsening as the conversation continued. "What makes you so sure they're dangerous anyways?"

With pursed lips, Law paused a moment. "I have a bad feeling about this place. I can't explain it much more than that. It's just…a feeling." Apparently, this wasn't the answer he'd been wanting to hear, because he stood to confront their leader.

"You want to uproot and leave on a  _hunch_?" Penguin's volume rose in conjuncture with his anger. "You want us to go back out into the outside, where we are never actually safe, where we almost  _starved_ , because you had a bad feeling!? When do you ever have a good feeling about anything, huh?"

Shachi tried to interject, looking decidedly uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere. "Maybe we should at least hear what he has to say, you know?"

Without even looking his way, Penguin scoffed. "Like hell!"

Now Law frowned, frustrated that they didn't seem to be understanding his concern. Why was he getting so angry about this? He cocked his head with a petty sneer, retaliating to the mocking tone his friend had adopted. "We were never rooted here in the first place. What, a few pretty girls are around and suddenly logic goes out the window?"

"That's fucking bullshit and you know it."

Law growled, fed up with having to argue about this, throwing an arm out to gesture to the entire area around them. "This isn't our home!"

"It damn well  _could be!"_  Penguin practically shouted, uncaring that others may be able to hear them outside.

"Hey! Guys, enough!" Shachi stood now, standing between his two friends to try to cool the situation down a notch. He held his hands out to either side, stopping them from tearing at each other's throats, as if they actually would, and scoffed. "What the hell's with all the fighting? What happened to being friends, huh?"

"I'll tell you what happened." Penguin dropped his voice low in a menacing manner, sticking an accusing finger in Law's direction. "I've put up with his bullshit for too long. I'm sick and tired of having to follow wherever he leads us! When have we ever gotten a say in what our next move was? When did he ever ask us, 'do you want to keep wandering around the country for two fucking years searching for absolutely  _nothing_!?'"

"Penguin-" Shachi started, but he just kept talking like his friend hadn't said anything at all.

"Now, we find other survivors,  _good people,_ and the first thing you want to do is leave?" He let out a harsh breath, his anger getting the better of him. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"I'm trying to keep us alive!"

"Well, a  _great job_  you've done so far!" Penguin tossed up his arms, turning and walking a few steps away from Law, too fed up with his reasoning to continue looking at him. "If it hadn't been for them, we'd already be dead!"

Law said nothing, seething but growing gradually more saddened with every second that passed, every accusation that Penguin sent his way. Each one stung like a physical stab to the chest, a kick to the stomach.

Was this really how they felt? Like he'd dragged them along for the ride, all those two years of being out on the road? Even in his frustration, he knew that Penguin had a point. Throughout the entire time, he'd always had the mindset of the collective good of the group, not taking into account what the both of them would want. Had they ever been really content surviving alongside him? Was he the only one who thought things had been fine, just the three of them?

How disillusioned was he?

Law looked to Shachi, noticing he'd been relatively quiet throughout the exchange, and he seemed to be directly in the middle in terms of opinion. At least, that's how it appeared.

"What do you think, Shachi?" He asked quietly, controlling his tone carefully, to come off as neutral as possible. Still, Penguin couldn't help but bite back one last dig.

"Oh,  _now_  you ask what we want."

Besides a narrowing of eyes, Law had no other reaction, still looking to Shachi to hear what he had to say. The redhead chewed his lip uncertainly, but Law waited patiently. It was the least he owed him.

"I…" He started, glancing between his two friends with dread. Penguin's expression held nothing but the bottled up frustration finally being let loose, while Law was unnaturally neutral, intentionally keeping the emotions from his face so as not to sway his opinion. That was almost worse, really. "I think…we can't keep going on forever by ourselves. This is an opportunity we can't waste. We can make this our home, with other people, rebuild what we used to have before the world fucked itself up." Shachi eventually reasoned, pleading with his eyes for Law to understand, but the leader couldn't hold his gaze for more than a moment. "Isn't that what we've been looking for this whole time? A way to fix things? Some way to make things normal again, if even just a little?"

"…" Law said nothing. He wasn't used to them fighting back against a decision, against what he'd already decided was the best plan of action to keep them safe and alive, and it wasn't easy, especially when he had half a mind to let them have this victory. He wanted them to have a place to call home, just as much as he secretly craved something of the same sort. Traveling from one place to the next, to the next, and to the next, had left him missing the steadfast walls and comfort of his old townhouse back in the city. A place to go back to every night and relax, a place he felt safe in, despite the circumstances or stresses of the day.

And yet that nagging feeling of unease remained, despite his every inclination to ignore it and turn back into that bedroom and unpack his bag. So much time had passed since that time, since he'd felt safe for more than a few hours behind the newly barricaded walls of a temporary safe house. He'd changed. They'd all changed. But perhaps not all in the same way.

"We can make this work." Shachi tried one last time, practically begging for him to understand. Penguin took a step forward, arms crossed. His anger remained, but at least it had cooled down significantly since his initial outburst.

"You know, there's always another option that we haven't put on the table yet." His words drew both of their attentions, and he glared at Law as he spoke next. "You can always leave…and we can stay here."

The silence from before returned, possibly thicker and more uncomfortable than the first. The pain in Law's chest hardened into something closer to guilt, to fear, in the face of the possibility of losing his family. Nothing in Penguin's eyes portrayed any sort of joke or uncertainty. He was deadly serious. This was not a joke.

This was the outcome that Law had feared most, had  _dreaded_  coming to. He supposed it was a partial reason for having them move around as they had those two years. Maybe the fear of having nothing left drove him to force them to stay, force them to endure the roughest way to live all that time just so Law himself wouldn't have to go it alone.

Law was not meant for groups. That much he'd gathered from being in one for a single day. His psyche was not compatible, not with a collective group mindset. But Shachi and Penguin, they would easily fit right in, having so much to bring to the table. So much they could draw from having others besides just himself…

Leaving him alone again, to take care of himself for the second time in his life. The pit in his stomach grew at just the thought.

Shachi's eyes widened, and he turned to his friend. "Are you really suggesting-"

"Yes." Penguin cut off, staring at Law to wait for his decision. "It's not like he hasn't thought of only himself this entire time. It'll make things easier this way. We've decided for ourselves, Law. We're staying." Then, he turned and stalked back to his bed, flopping onto the comforter with a thump, facing the wall so he didn't have to look at either of them anymore.

For several seconds, Law and Shachi just stood there, staring at the floor. Eventually, Law felt courageous enough to look up at his friend, wanting to know what he was thinking, but Shachi refused to look in his direction either, finally giving a loud sigh and settling back down on his own bed, facing the opposite direction as well.

Which left Law standing, bag still slung over his shoulder, as he was faced with a remarkably tough decision. His eyes gazed back and forth over his friend's resting forms, seeing the anger still pent-up in Penguin's shoulders, and the resigned slump of Shachi's. This was his decision to make now. Only for himself. He couldn't decide this for them, as they'd already mentioned.

Closing his eyes a brief moment, he willed the sorrow and the dread back into the deepest part of his mind and walked slowly towards the door of the trailer. The grip on his strap tightened as he reached for the handle, opening the door as he stepped out onto the grass, closing it softly behind him.

There was only one option, really. As much as he hated to do it…

His mind was made up.


	13. The Choices You Make

"Nngh…" Margaret groaned, flopping over on the dinghy mattress and shifting her arm from besides her to over her eyes. Her throat was dry, and she swallowed to wet it. Something was tapping at the edge of her hearing. No, not tapping…Knocking, a set of three knocks. And then again. Squinting into the darkness, she heard yet another set of three knocks, quiet taps against the door of her trailer.

"What in the hell…" She muttered with a heavy sigh, pushing herself up from the bed, the blanket falling from around her shoulders as she swung her legs over the edge. Eyes laden with sleep, she yawned tiredly, bare feet padding against the floor with each step, until she reached the door and reached for the handle.

The door opened with a creak, and she saw a figure standing in the darkness just outside, hand raised to knock again, but it lowered when she appeared.

"…Law?" She asked in confusion, cocking her head to get a better look at the bag he had slung over his shoulder. The hell? Margaret stepped down from the inside of the trailer down the few steps leading to the outside. "What are you doing here? Is there a problem?"

She glanced down at her tank top and sleep shorts, crossing her arms over her chest for a semblance of coverage. Law slowly shook his head, silently staring at the ground, as if making up his mind about something.

"Shachi and Penguin…they want to stay." He admitted, sparing her a single glance, as if to judge her reaction. "They think this place could be their home."

"They couldn't…" Her sentence was broken by a long yawn, which she covered with a hand. "…have waited until the morning to tell me that?"

Law said nothing, just stood there looking uncomfortable, and strangely angry at something she couldn't explain. "We need to talk." He finally replied. The seriousness in his tone and the way he held himself was a bit sobering, and Margaret brushed back her hair into a better semblance of normal, before clearing her throat.

"Can't this wait until-"

"No."

Margaret stared at his face for a few moments, trying to gauge what was on the man's mind. There was almost no emotion showing through those gray orbs, and no matter how long she stared, she couldn't tell what it was he wanted exactly. Whatever it was, apparently he felt it was urgent though.

"Well, come on in then." She reluctantly invited, waving a hand for him to follow after her into the trailer. Her bare feet ascended the few steps back inside, and the trailer shifted as Law made his entrance, the added weight tilting it for a moment before redistributing it across the vehicle.

"Alright, care to explain why you've woken me up so late? Carrying all your stuff?" She gestured to the bag, before going over to a shelf and pulling off a little lantern, lighting it up to illuminate the interior of the trailer.

"Like I said before, the others want to stay." He started, almost unsure of where to begin, and what he wanted to say to her exactly. As if he hadn't planned this far. Maybe he hadn't.

"That's great to hear." She admitted, rubbing at her left eye. "We would love to have them stay. I'll assign them their own trailer in the morning, but…what about you? You make it sound like you're-"

"I'm…" He started, cutting her off, but still seeming to hesitate, working his jaw as if it were difficult to simply get the words out. Then, he sighed, shifting the bag on his shoulder. "I'm staying. We're  _all_ staying."

She paused, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "You…you are?" She questioned, with a little laugh. "If I'm being honest, I'm a little surprised. I didn't think you actually would." He narrowed his eyes at that, and she rushed to clarify. "I mean, you told me right from the get go how much you didn't trust us here."

"I still don't." Law said, allowing a bit of the anger and suspicion to seep into his stare. "Shachi and Penguin are the only reason I'm staying. This is what they want, and I'll respect that. Unless I'm unsatisfied that you're not hiding anything. Which is why you need to answer a few of my concerns before I go back. If I don't like what I hear, I'm changing my mind and leaving."

"Hmm." She hummed, running an exhausted hand through her hair in irritation. Why couldn't this have waited another 6 hours or so? "Alright, well I guess now's as good a time as any…" She muttered beneath her breath. Regardless, she gestured to her kitchen table, where there were two chairs facing each other. "Take a seat."

He did so, placing his back to the wall strategically, a move that she did not miss. Always the wary survivor, it seemed. Margaret took her seat opposite of Law, easing into the chair with a groan. "What is it you want to know exactly? I'll answer what I can."

* * *

"Is there a pharmacy or clinic anywhere near here, or just the hospital?" Law inquired first, his tone carefully neutral. First and foremost on his mind was what lay hidden in his pack, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't extremely curious as to how she'd react. She quirked a brow, no doubt confused as to what his question had to do with anything.

"Just…the hospital. The nearest clinic is about 25 miles north or so…Why does that matter?"

"Is that where you found all of your medications, then?" He continued on, ignoring her question.

"Yes, we sent our scavengers to the hospital in town, though I don't see how that-" But whatever she was about to say next was cut off by his shaking head.

"Then you and I have a small problem." With that, he set his bag on his lap and unzipped the top, reaching in and grabbing white bottles, placing them on the table one by one."Sertraline…Lorazepam…Doxycycline…Metformin…" He named off, placing them all down on the table between them.

"You…you stole…" She bit her lip, frowning as he lined up the various bottles of medication that he'd obviously stolen at some point during his time in the infirmary. Taking a few bottle off the shelf had child's play, especially with a ditzy woman like Tara keeping track of their inventory. There hadn't even been a list of the total bottles they did have, leaving no trace of what had been taken in the first place.

The worry that past over her eyes was brief, but enough to see that it had indeed been there. Good, he thought. They were getting somewhere.

He looked back up to hold her gaze. "All of these are specialty medications only available through prescriptions," He explained with a bland look. " _none_  of which would be in a hospital. Only pharmacies have targeted medications like these."

"Maybe they were moved from the clinic to the hospital for some reason." She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. The gesture was a sign of lying, of putting distance between herself and whatever was making her uncomfortable. Another step in the direction Law was hoping for.

"Is that the story you're going to stick with?" His doubt radiated off of his features, fully intending to portray just how much of a liar he believed her to be. Unconvinced was a serious understatement. "Maybe I overestimated how smart you were then."

Margaret stared down at the bottles silently, searching the labels for anything that could help her with the situation at hand. The cruel part of him was very pleased to see her uncomfortable, figuratively squirming, looking for a way out of all of these accusations without coming across as a liar. He cleared his throat, gaining her attention again.

"Another thing that's been on my mind since we arrived," he continued on with an exasperated chuckle, "is how a place like this could possibly afford to take in so many people, all the while dwindling their supplies down to nothing."

Margaret opened her mouth to reply, but Law continued on. "Not to mention, how are all these people so calm about almost running out of food? They're a week away from starving, and a few motivational words from you can ease all their worries?"

"We've been tight on supplies before." She tried explaining with a slow shake of her head. "This isn't the first time we've had to stretch our rations a bit thin and double up on scavenging trips. My people are used to it."

A fair enough explanation, but not quite good enough for him to believe.

"Used to what exactly?" He pressed, leaning back in his chair comfortably. The light of the lantern flickered over his face, defining the bags under his eyes in the low, yellow light. "Being on the brink of starvation? Or turning to drastic measures in order to fix that?"

Margaret's face was also illuminated by the lantern, but her features took on a much more exhausted and worried expression. And…guilt, he recognized with interest. Oh, she was definitely hiding something. She sighed, holding the side of her head in her hands tiredly. "There are some thing you don't understand about this place, Law."

"Enlighten me, then."

Perhaps wanting to look away from his criticizing eyes, she idly picked up one of the bottles and turned it back and forth, averting her eyes. "Look, seeing as you're new around here, I get it. You want to know how the finer things work. You want to know that we aren't going to kill you. And we're not," she tried, giving him a pointed look, "but seeing as you've only come in yesterday, and I don't even have faith that you'll stay, how do you expect me to answer questions like that?" Her irritation was beginning to show through, in an effort of diverting his curiosities elsewhere. But it did little in the way of slowing his verbal assault.

"You need a doctor. An  _actual_  doctor, judging by the handiwork of…Tara." His eyes narrowed, as if even saying her name was unpleasant. "I'm willing to bet it'll be sometime before another qualified doctor comes by, seeking shelter."

There was nothing she could say to that, and so she kept silent, knowing that he was right. He was the best doctor they'd be able to have, and there was a very good possibility that he wouldn't stay. Law's skills were invaluable, something very easy to gamble with when it was put on the table.

"You want me to stay? You tell me the truth. About everything." He concluded, that stern expression never wavering."

Nonetheless, she still denied the accusations of lying. "I have told you-"

"Margaret." He cut off again, in that infuriating way. As Law had quickly proved to her, he could read her like an open book. Besides, if he were to stay, he'd find out the truth soon or later, even if everyone else was tight lipped about it. His innate curiosity and the need to know that he was in a safe place, that his family was in a safe place, overtook any desire to blindly find good where there may not even be any.

For a long time there was silence between them. The black-haired woman kept her face strategically hidden by the darkness, her head turned just enough that the light of the lantern couldn't catch it. But Law waited patiently, holding his breath in anticipation.

It didn't matter how sure of himself he sounded to her, how much he tried to play into the act that he was in charge here, because in the end he wasn't. Besides having his skills on the table, there was nothing else he could hold over her, no other evidence besides the medication, to convince her to tell him what was going on. This was a stretch, a  _huge_  overstepping of his boundaries. But hey, that had never stopped him before. Go big or go home-so to speak.

"There used to be more of us, not too long ago." She said vaguely, tilting her head with each turn of the medicine bottle in her hands. There was a note of that guilt again, overlaid in the sound of her exhaustion. "A second camp."

"Where?" He asked, relieved that his plan had worked. She was talking. Even if it wasn't everything, he could do with more information, whatever it may be.

"It was to the north. About five miles or so." She twisted at the cap idly, eyes heavy with sleep or sorrow. Law couldn't tell, really. "Originally, we were all together in the same place."

"Here?" Law questioned, unable to imagine too many other people being able to fit in such a small place. For as big as it was, there was only enough room for a certain number of people, maxed out at how many you could fit into the trailers at night.

Margaret shook her head. "No. We used to be holed up in this warehouse, along the highway. There were probably…thirty…forty of us…"

"You split up the group." He guessed, and she nodded slowly.

"As what happens with large groups, there were high tensions beginning to grow, differences in the way the group wanted to be governed. We all came to a decision, to split the people in half, and develop our own communities as we saw fit.

"My group found this campground and the others barricaded this old police station not too far from the warehouse." She placed the bottle back on the table, sliding it slowly over back to Law. "We kept our distance, but not too far. Close enough to give each other support, trade supplies. Far enough away to be our own separate camps, and to not run into each other too much while scavenging. That was the deal."

"What happened to the second camp, then?" He asked, expecting a sad tale of the zombies overtaking them, and Margaret predictably looked away, the subject obviously a little touchy.

"Um…we…my group happened."

Law frowned with confusion. For several seconds, she avoided his gaze, before coughing and standing suddenly. "If we're gonna talk about this, I need a drink…" He heard her mutter, watching as she wandered to the cupboard and dug out a bottle of some kind of alcohol, and a shot glass. The bottle looked about half full. Obviously she saved it for occasions such as this, when the only thing to do was ignore the feelings with drink.

Returning to the table, she unashamedly poured herself a shot before his eyes. The liquid rose until just below the lip of the glass before she stopped pouring. Setting the bottle back on the table, she downed the liquid with a disgusted face, but let out an 'ahh' right afterwards, trying to rid herself of the harsh taste in her mouth.

She held out the shot glass for him to take, silently offering him one, but he shook his head. It had been some time since he'd last had a drink, not to mention he'd prefer to have all his wits about him while in her presence. The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally get drunk while she was around. Or just drunk in general. These were dangerous times after all. At least she didn't seem too upset about him turning it down. Shrugging with indifference, Margaret poured herself another shot, and it quickly followed the first.

She slammed the shot glass back onto the table with a cough, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Let me just clarify, you're a bastard. I'll be hungover late into the morning because of you…"

Law didn't bother replying to her insult, though it sounded much more affectionate than an actual dig at his character. He only shrugged, waiting for her to continue.

"They called themselves the Monroe Township." She started with a yawn. "While my group wanted a single leader, they wanted a council to make decisions. It worked for them, for the most part."

"How do you know?" Law asked. It seemed strange that, being separated groups, Margaret knew so much about the second camp.

"I visited a few times, with the council, to talk about trading and stuff like that. But that doesn't matter." She waved her hand, dismissing the topic. "The point is, they were closer to the highway, they had better access to the neighboring city. Scavenging was a lot easier, and they had better defenses in that police station.

"My group…we had trouble finding food out here. The forest doesn't leave many options, besides the occasional animal and whatever we can grow in the garden." Her eyes took on a clarity that contradicted the two shots she'd already downed, as well as the third she was in the process of pouring. "I wasn't lying before. My people are used to going hungry, to not having enough to eat."

"Fair enough." Law admitted, knowing that no one was truly well off nowadays. Hell, even they had grown used to the constant rumbling in their stomachs over the past few months or so, always wanting just a little bit more than they could afford to have. And he couldn't see anything but her desire for him to understand. This, at least, was the Margaret that he felt he could trust what she said. A half-drunk, sleepy, and slightly irritated Margaret.

"Every time I went over to meet with them, I couldn't help but notice how much food they had…" her eyes took on a faraway look, and she shook her bottle of alcohol with each word, still angry at something he couldn't see. "Every…single…time…that I went over. And I had to go back to my people each time and figure out how to find us that much food, how to tell them that we weren't doing so well."

Law was about to say something, but she had only paused to breathe. "And it wasn't just the food! Guns, medicine, clothing and beds, you name it. They had more of it. And I could never…understand why…"

"They picked a more advantageous place to call home." Law reasoned, shrugging in complete understanding. "Are you the one who thought to stay here in this campground?"

Margaret nodded mutely, staring at the bottle in her hand with guilt and hatred. "I thought…I thought we could stay away from most of the zombies that way. There were a lot of them back then, a whole lot more." Her lips split into a rueful smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sure, we're safe, but it just turns out that this place is slowly starving us to death at the same time."

"It was a poor decision." Law agreed, figuring that she already knew that though. Her small glare sent in his direction told him so, but he only shrugged. "You may not want to hear it but that's all on you. Own up to it."

Her heavy sigh responded. "Yeah, no shit. Thanks for that."

"So, what exactly happened next?" He prompted her to continue, noticing she'd gotten a bit sidetracked. The question made her fold her feet beneath herself, sitting crosslegged on the kitchen chair.

"Well…we got to a point, maybe a few months or so ago…where we ran out of food and most of our supplies. No matter how many times I sent people out, we couldn't find jack shit." Her eyes narrowed, as if kicking herself over it, as if it were her fault they couldn't find anything. Then, her expression to changed, shaking her head with another fake grin, chuckling humorlessly under her breath. "And you know what we did about that?"

Wordlessly, Law raised a brow, silently encouraging her to continue, to finish her tale, and she slammed the bottle back onto the table to punctuate her words.

"We raided the second camp. Took everything they had in the middle of the night, killed whoever we had to to do it. And you know who's idea  _that_  was?" Her eyes had taken on a deranged quality, the guilt fueling most of the conversation at this point. Despite the crazy gleam, that sadness persisted behind them. "Mine! All my idea. And you know what? People went with it! People. Fucking. Went. With. It.

"It wasn't like they were strangers, oh no. We knew them. Each and every one of them…" Her head began shaking slowly back and forth, and she stared at the table mindlessly. "But they had so many supplies, so many medications they'd gotten from the next town…we took it all, and we've done just fine since then. We didn't starve, and we were able to treat our sick…" She rambled on. Once she started it seemed unlikely that she would stop, but Law wanted to hear everything, and it seemed that Margaret was in the talkative mood, especially after the liquid courage started flowing.

Her eyes watered, and a single tear trailed down one cheek. "I know I'm going to hell, no questions. At this point, I've made my peace with that, but I have to do something to make it right…you know?" A hand ruffled her bed-crumpled hair. "I've been welcoming anyone who comes through, to try to help people again. To repent…

"Sometimes…I can't even look myself in the mirror over there…" She gestured behind her, where a hand mirror was fastened to the wall. Margaret wiped at the tears that now flowed freely, trying to rid herself of the moisture blurring her vision.

"Do they know?" Law asked quietly, arms crossed over his chest with all the information he was being given. He'd expected something…but not quite that.

"Not everyone but…enough." She answered through a choked sob. "Everyone who was a part of the plan…the guards, Tara, the repairmen…they all know. The rest…I don't think so…"

Law sighed deeply, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. They'd been up talking for awhile, and the time of night was finally starting to get to him, as well as the lack of sleep for several days. It was a lot to take in, as he'd thought before…but strangely, he wasn't as suspicious of Margaret after hearing a drunken recounting of her sins. The explanation was almost relieving.

His gray eyes regarded the black-haired, broken, vulnerable woman before him, once again torn as to what to do. She'd admitted to doing something that he didn't quite sit well with, but he understood her mindset. After all, he'd do just about anything to keep Shachi and Penguin alive. Faulting her for doing the same for her people would have been hypocritical.

"I believe you." He answered quietly after a long pause, sighing as he stood from his seat. "Maybe I should, but I do believe you." He'd heard enough for the time being. Now, he just had to decide what the next step was. Leaving Woodsville behind or carrying on with a nomadic life as they'd done up to this point. Except this time, there would be no one there for him. No one to watch his back. No one to…

"What are you gonna do?" She sobbed, sniffling and wiping away the tears with shaky hands. "Will you stay?"

The question was filled with hope. Hope for him to stay and help them. Hope that he would understand the decisions she'd had to make for the sake of others. Hope that she'd done the right thing, her eyes searching his for some kind of answer to her questions that went unvoiced, but he had none for her. His eyes found the floor of the trailer, wanting to avoid the scathing and pleading that he could see in hers.

"…" The silence grew thick and uncomfortable as he thought about his answer. Honestly, either way he was screwing himself over. There was no right answer here, no right way to go about this. Fuck…

Law eventually looked back up to Margaret, who stared openly, fingers clenched around the neck of the bottle in anticipation for an answer, but he turned and headed towards the door of her trailer, not bothering to look her way again. "Good night, Margaret."

The door opened with a twist of the knob, and he could hear her begin sobbing again behind him. Ignoring the pained sound, he walked outside and into the night. Adjusting the grip on his bag, he stopped just outside of Margaret's trailer, looking towards the front gate of the camp. A guard stood posted on each trailer directly next to it, staring out into the forest silently.

Now was the time to decide, to pick which hell he'd like to endure. The familiar danger of keeping on the move, zombies at every corner…or placing a tentative trust in others for the first time in a long time. He sighed, eyes staring hard at the barricaded metal gate.

That hard lump in his throat moved to his chest, aching with every thought of what could happen. There were so many unknowns here, and he hated every minute of it. Why couldn't things go back to being the simple run-shoot-survive that it used to be? Things didn't used to be so complicated.

 _You walk out that gate, you'll never see them again._  He thought morosely, eyes drifting over to the guest trailer where his companions slept. The ache in his chest grew, to where it physically hurt to breathe. This was his family, the two people he cared about most in the world, and he was on the verge of walking away forever, practically abandoning them. All for his own safety.

 _'_ _It's not like he hasn't thought of himself this entire time…'_  He recalled Penguin saying bitterly. He hadn't been wrong. It was true, even if he himself didn't know it until now.

_Think of them for once. It's time you stopped being their leader and started being their friend._

Squaring his shoulders, Law tore himself from the spot in front of Margaret's trailer and headed back towards where Shachi and Penguin, his  _family,_  lay sleeping. And even as the pit in his stomach dropped, feeling as if something were going to go wrong right at that moment, he pushed it aside and approached the metal vehicle, opening the door to return to bed.


	14. Days Gone By

Having gotten no sleep throughout the few hours he'd gone back to bed in the guest trailer, Law spent the time staring up at the ceiling once more, willing himself to get some sort of rest before the coming morning. It left him wondering when his body stopped listening to him. The occasional thumps of footsteps above him were the only noise marking any sort of passage of time, and the hours felt like days, really. He tossed and turned in an effort to get comfy. Nothing changed. Despite feeling exhausted, his mind would not rest.

The constant mulling over his and Margaret's conversation just previously before wasn't helping him. Law couldn't get himself to rid the picture of her crying, shaking form from his mind. How broken and defeated she'd seemed, quite different from the public image she worked so hard to maintain. It was understandable, though. No one wanted to follow a leader who couldn't even keep themselves together. Yet, the vulnerable fear in her eyes had surprised him. He'd expected nothing at all, no emotion he could detect, a sign of her deception. But the sheer volume of emotion she'd portrayed was something he couldn't ignore, or chalk up to simple drunkenness.

There was more to Margaret than he'd first believed. Whether that unforeseen side was good or not had yet to be determined, but there was definitely something to her. And the strange longing glances he'd seen her send his way more than once the day before were a bit unnerving. Not quite as alarming as the first time, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder what exactly it was she wanted from him. A relationship? Just sex? The latter would be more preferable of the two options. If it was even what was going on. Perhaps he was entirely overthinking the situation.

He wouldn't lie. She was certainly an attractive person, physically appealing by social standards and had they been different circumstances and the right conditions, Law wouldn't have disregarded the idea. But he felt no emotional connection to her whatsoever, nor did he see himself doing so in the near future, but as Penguin had once stated so blatantly and without shame, a man has needs, no matter how long he tries to suppress them. Hmm. He supposed a woman did too, and as far as he knew, it'd been two years since anyone had had anything close to sex. He'd just have to see where the circumstances took her.

Needless to say, the next morning did not magically go back to normal. This was no surprise. He hadn't expected it to, what with all the pent-up frustrations his friends had displayed. Well, Penguin more so than Shachi, admittedly. A spark of hope remained, that maybe there was a chance they could fix things, to return to the way they were before. If Shachi wasn't too angry with him, maybe he was the connection.

When the sky began to lighten, and he started to hear the opening of trailer doors outside, he knew that he'd have to face his two friends sooner rather than later. He was hopeful of a good outcome, but too much of a realist to expect anything remotely close to his hopes. Closing his eyes in dread, he tried to envision how that confrontation would go. Maybe Penguin would find a few more things to yell at him for, to blame him for, whether he deserved it or not. Mostly he deserved it though. How many other things did his friends have pent up in there, ready to lash out for? How long had he himself been clueless to their opinions? Too long, obviously.

From his position on the bed, he could hear the creak and shift of the trailer as one of his companions began to awaken. Lifting his head up a few inches to see over his feet, Law watched as Shachi groaned, rubbing at his head sleepily. Mouth wide open in a yawn, he cracked open an eye as he sat up at the edge of the bed.

Law resorted to sitting up instead of remaining lying down on the bed, elbows resting casually on his knees with crossed legs. If they were going to have this discussion now, hell, if Shachi would even want to  _speak_  to him, he would do so properly. From his seat on the bed, he watched as Shachi paused, having spotted Law in the other bedroom. Confusion, then relief, then apprehension flashed through his eyes, fearful of something Law couldn't quite understand. "Law?"

Law nodded silently, allowing him the chance to speak first. Gauging his attitude before presenting his case was the best way to approach this. Was Shachi even still angry? Hard to tell at this point. Pensively, he waited for the redhead to respond.

There was a deep sigh of…relief, before Shachi chuckled almost nervously and stood from the bed. "Thank fucking God you're still here. Hell, I thought we'd never see you again after last night." He meandered his way over to Law's bed, standing in the doorway casually. The smile he flashed him was genuine, and a partial weight was lifted from his shoulders. This was a start, at the very least.

Law's eyes lowered to the bed, nodded his head slowly. "Honestly…I thought about it." The truth was shameful to admit, even if his reasoning at the time was sound. Looking back, what had he been thinking?

"Things got pretty bad, didn't they?" Shachi rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort. He wasn't one who enjoyed confrontation, or conflict where there shouldn't be any. They'd worked so well together before for so long, one could forget how easily things can fall apart.

"More so than I thought." Law answered evenly.

"Well…what made you stay? You were hellbent on hightailing it out of here last night." Shachi asked curiously, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets, frowning in confusion. "I've never known you to be indecisive. What changed?"

"…" Law didn't quite know how to answer that straightaway, and Shachi took his silence for guilt, or something similar. Maybe his pause had been just a moment too long for his comfort. The redhead untucked his hands, splaying them out defensively.

"Look, if this is about what Penguin said-"

"He's right, you know." The interruption made Shachi pause, before shaking his head.

"Everyone's been pretty high stung recently, he probably didn't mean what he said anyways." Shachi tried to supply. His expression of hope made it plain to see how much he wanted to believe the words, but couldn't seem to convince himself of them. "Besides, one little fight isn't going to tear us apart, right?"

"Depends on what it's about." A voice called behind them.

Law and Shachi both drew their attention to Penguin, who was sitting on his bed stiffly. His hat was back on his head, covering the majority of his eyes as he stared at the floor, making it difficult to know exactly what he was thinking. There was a tense silence that hung over the three of them, none of them too willing to break it.

So. Things weren't quite back to normal. No surprise, really. But not even his gloomy expectations could conjure the image of Penguin sitting there on the bed in such a distant manner with such accuracy. Not once could he remember a time that there'd been such animosity between them. How had two years of friendship crumbled so quickly? So disastrously? The reality was much worse than what his overactive, worried mind could have conjured up.

Before long the lack of communication began to unnerve Law enough to speak first. "You were right, Penguin. About me being a selfish asshole. Regardless, we need to talk." That authoritative tone didn't quite leave his voice, and it only caused Penguin to scowl. Apparently that wasn't the approach he'd wanted. Hmm. Once a leader, always a leader, unfortunately.

In that infuriating way, Penguin completely ignored what Law had said. "Why did you stay?" He asked quietly, intentionally blank and void of emotion. Detached. Distant. As if he were talking to a stranger.

"Law already said-" Shachi tried coming to his defense, but Penguin raised a hand to stop him.

"I want to hear it straight from him." Briefly, his face turned towards him, and Law could practically feel the chill in his gaze from that distance. "And I want the truth, not just what we want to hear. He owes us that much, at least."

The tension growing, Shachi stepped out of the way, deciding that the best course of action was a tactical retreat. Best to let the two of them sort things out on their own. His input would only cause distraction, so he thought.

The two 'friends' regarded one another silently, Penguin refusing to give into Law's equally hard stare. A clash of wills commenced, but Law caved first, knowing that out of all of them, he was most notably in the wrong, despite his instincts telling him otherwise. With a sigh, Law ran a hand through his greasy hair.

"I seriously thought about leaving, as I told Shachi before." He paused, searching for the right words. "In fact, a part of me still wants to. This place…doesn't sit well with me. I can't bring myself to trust it."

"We're not asking you to trust this place, Law, we're asking you to trust  _us."_  Penguin supplied through tight lips. "Your  _friends."_

"Which is why I'm still here." Law shrugged, meeting Penguin's gaze again. "You may not be inclined to believe it, but I  _do_  trust the both of you. With my life, I might add. You've saved it more times than I could count over the years."

Penguin's head ducked lower, but whether out of a small sense of pride from Law's words or simply because he was tired of hearing what Law had to say, he couldn't tell. The hat covering his eyes made this whole thing difficult, and extremely frustrating. How was he supposed to know what to say if he couldn't read what was going through his head?

"I didn't realize how much I'd been putting you through until yesterday, how much you've had to put up with because of my decisions this whole time." Law frowned with a slow shake of his head. "Still, why did neither of you ever say anything? If you had, we could have saved all this trouble."

"You're kind of hard to say no to, Law." Shachi admitted sheepishly from his corner. When Law turned his attention over to his companion, the redhead couldn't look him in the eyes. Finding nothing but guilt and shame in Shachi, he returned his gaze to Penguin, who seemed to have slumped a bit in his seated position.

"Yeah, maybe we could've." He admitted quietly, knowing that Law was not the only one to blame for everything. He wasn't that blind or shallow. They all had a part to play in this broken situation. "Even so, the one and only time we do bring it up you don't even consider what we might want. Kind of defeats the purpose of even saying anything in the first place."

"For that, I'm sorry. Perhaps I pushed the issue too far."

"There's no 'perhaps' about it." Penguin air-quoted with his fingers. "You were only thinking of yourself."

"You can't force me to change my opinion about this place, but if it means we stick together, I'm not going anywhere, bad feelings be damned." And it was true. He doubted he could learn to trust this place in any capacity, but if it was what the others wanted, as they'd shown the night before, he'd bite his tongue and let it be.

"To get straight to the point, you two are the only family I have, and I'm not willing to just walk away from that. If I have to bite the bullet and risk something going wrong to prove that, so be it." He finished quietly, sighing in defeat. It was uncomfortable talking about emotions, especially his. Speaking them made the fears and worries real, tangible. In cases like this, where it was unavoidable, Law never found himself feeling prepared to bear his soul, to let the walls down enough for someone else to see how this apocalyptic world had affected him. How much it had changed him as a person.

And how  _little_  it had changed him, respectively. How things that should have changed didn't. Perhaps that was worse.

The thick silence from before draped itself over the conversation once again, the words spoken sinking into all their minds. He still couldn't quite tell what Penguin was thinking, as his posture hadn't changed enough to give anything away. Was he angry? Had he forgiven him? There was no telling.

Heavy footfalls above them interrupted the silence, the sentry walking along the trailers as they searched the perimeter. It must have snapped them out of their funk, because Shachi shifted in place uncomfortably, scratching at his forearm in the awkwardness.

Penguin stood suddenly, catching the both of them by surprise. "I want to think on this." He said, turning his back to them and unzipping his backpack. Law watched with a frown as he pulled out his spare t-shirt from within.

"About what?"

"Whether I forgive you or not."

"Penguin, seriously? After all that you're still pissed off?" Shachi crossed his arms and shook his head in bewilderment. "What more do you want?"

Finally showing some sign of resignation rather than anger, Penguin sighed heavily, pulling his worn shirt from his torso, letting it drop to the mattress. "You're right, Law, we are family. For all I'm concerned, you two are my brothers. You have my back when I need it most. Nothing will change that." Frustratedly, he rubbed at his forehead. "But family can still screw you over. The way I see things, you put us in unnecessary danger, Shachi included. And when we find somewhere that's actually safe, you want to throw us back into the fire. I don't know if I can forgive you for making those kinds of selfish decisions, even if we are family."

Law remained silent, but nodded anyways. He could understand where Penguin found his reasoning. If the roles were switched, he'd wonder how he could stand someone who was so against what he believed was right. Conflicts of interest, differences of opinion. They would be the death of his peace of mind.

Finally turning a resigned look in his direction, Penguin gestured for Law to understand. "Give me time, and I'll figure it out on my own. I just…need some time."

"Fair enough." Law conceded, knowing that was about the best he could have hoped for. Then, something Margaret had said before came back to him. Not to mention, a change of subject was probably overdue by now. "When I spoke to Margaret last night, she mentioned getting your permanent living space assigned. I assume you'd prefer if I wasn't included in that arrangement."

He decided he'd throw the suggestion out on his own before either of them could bring it up first, so he wouldn't have to wonder if that had been their idea in the beginning. So he didn't ever have to wonder if it was what they wanted, for him to be gone. At least, now it was  _his own_  suggestion. It was his own fault.

"That would probably be best. For the time being." Penguin added as an afterthought, unsure if the change would become permanent or not. It was too early to know at this point.

"Right." Law nodded in agreement, watching Penguin finishing changing his shirt before turning to leave out the trailer door. Shachi and Law watched him leave, the door slamming shut behind him. Not a moment later, Shachi mumbled an apology under his breath before following after his friend.

Law watched them go without trying to stop them. His bit was done. Now all they had to do was wait, and hope things turned out for the best.

* * *

 

_Two Weeks Later_

_Somewhere Else_

It was tough to say why exactly, but today was shaping up to be a good day.

The sun was shining, the few birds left over tweeted in the trees overhead, flying from house to house and picking at cracks in the pavement for worms. You couldn't even heard the groaning zombies that were outside the wall. It was peaceful, pleasant, even.

Damien's gaze wandered to the barrier of their small slice of heaven, tracking the movements of the guards along the large wall. Some stood talking, or even were dozing off against the barricade, rifles resting in their laps. He cocked a brow, but figured that there wasn't much harm in doing so today. There was no outward threat at the moment anyways. The zombies had began to trickle away more than a week ago, and it wasn't uncommon not to see one of the undead walking up to their walls for hours, or even days now.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he withdrew one of his dwindling supply of cigarettes, stuffing it in his mouth and taking out the almost-empty lighter next. It took several clicks before the flame caught, and he shielded the light from the wind, smelling that comforting and familiar scent of tobacco. The smoke puffed from his lips as he exhaled, swirling up into the air before disappearing entirely.

Damien came to lean against the side of a house, crossing his legs at the ankles and simply watching his people go about their business. Things were running smoothly, everywhere from the girls, to the men spectating, all the way to the others keeping watch of the walls. For such a productive day, things were actually laid back and…relaxing.

A man approaching him caught his eye, and he waited until he was within hearing distance to greet him. "Chase. What's the word?"

Chase settled to a standstill a few feet away, arms crossed casually. "Weston and Jack just got back." He replied, jerking his head in the apparent direction of the two in question. "Think you might want to hear what they gotta say."

"Really?" Damien questioned, patiently puffing away at his shrinking cigarette. "That didn't take long."

Chase shrugged indifferently. "They thought they'd be trailing them longer, but it turns out the camp is much closer than they expected."

"Hmm." He pondered this over, before nodding slowly. "Bring them over."

With a nod, Chase jogged off to find the scouts per his orders. Damien waited patiently for them to return, finishing off his cigarette in the meantime. Frowning, he stared down at the butt end, swearing that they were becoming quicker and quicker to smoke as time went on. Just another joy the apocalypse had taken away from him. Hell, the next thing had to be sex. There was nothing else left after that.

"Fuck that, man…" Damien mumbled under his breath, flicking the burnt-out stick into the dirt, grinding it in with the toe of his boot. By the time he looked up from the ground, Chase was leading his two best scouts over to where he stood.

"So, what's the status of our friends?" He asked casually, crossing his arms as he waited to hear the news.

Jack, a sandy-haired, middle-aged, skinny fellow with an overbite and one too many freckles littering his cheeks, stepped forward confidently. "That group we were following finally returned back to their camp. Took days, but we finally found it. Out off in the middle of the woods."

"And?"

"There's a lot of 'em." Weston spoke up. Damien turned his attention to the second scout, barely old enough to drive, had the world been what it was. His piercing brown eyes were steely, quite out of place in a man his age. Weston swiped a hand through his shaggy black hair, tossing it away from his line of sight. "Some of them more attractive than others, but I spotted a few prizes inside."

"I told you they were worth trailing." Damien spoke up, eyeing Jack pointedly. The older man shrugged with a gentle shake of his head.

"Guess I owe you a beer, if we find some."

"I'll hold you to that. Get with the others and locate the camp on the map." He pointed at Jack with a grin, but turned to Weston when the younger man cleared his throat.

"So…can I go this time?" He asked. "I'm almost 16. I'm old enough now, right?"

Damien nodded briefly to Jack, dismissing him without a word, and walked to place himself in front of the boy. Laying a hand on his shoulder, he turned him away from the house and towards the front gate of the camp.

"Well, that's a fine question, isn't it?" He started, intentionally taking his sweet time to respond. He could practically feel the boy vibrating with impatience and excitement beneath his hand. "What makes you think I'd take you with?"

"I've proven myself to the group." Weston argued, frowning for fear that his request would be denied. "I can fight and handle the zombies just like everyone else. I even help with dinner and fixing the fence from holes. Chris even took me scavenging with him the other day."

"Relax, kiddo, I can see how much you've done to help us out around here." The older man chuckled, patting the young boy on his shoulder roughly. "I'll be honest. Didn't think you'd be worth much after you joined us. Always causing trouble, stealing food, breaking things…" He trailed off, seeing the pained and slightly embarrassed expression on Weston's face.

"Ah, come on, lighten up! You were a kid back then. But now," he paused, watching as the boy looked up into his face with hope, "you're a man, Weston. Tried and true. Of course you can come, as long as you shadow someone the first time. I don't want you getting hurt because you're reckless."

Weston's fears melted away and he smiled with pride, before his eyes traveled across the opening clearing. "Think I'll find mine the first time?"

Damien shrugged, chuckling under his breath. "Anxious, are we? Well, the perfect one is tough to find. Some of us haven't found 'em yet, even after months of looking. Might take a few tries, but don't you worry. As long as you're one of us, we'll find her."

"Awesome." Weston said. Damien patted his shoulders a few more times before giving him a little push.

"Now, go help the others pack up for the run. We'll be leaving once we're set to go."

With one last encouraging pat, Weston nodded and went to find the storehouse, while Damien turned his attention back to the center of the camp, where all the activity was going on. "Come on, ladies, put some more emotion into it. I want to see you  _feeling_  it. Owning it!" Damien grinned wickedly, strutting across the open yard with confidence as he watched the women dance around the makeshift poles stuck in the ground, rising several feet above their hands as they danced and twirled half-heartedly around them.

"That's better, Jessica. A little more." He purred to the nearest blonde woman, reaching forward to finger the thick, silver-painted collar around her neck tenderly. A spark of pleasure flashed through him when she whimpered and continued dancing to the large boombox set in the middle of the grassy area, eyes straight ahead at her hands around the pole with a tense expression. He watched her twist and flip and dance around the metal beam for a few more moments, appreciating the way the sweat dripped down her exposed thighs, before moving along the edge of the clearing to inspect the other girls.

Scantily-clad in nothing more than a variety of bikinis and lingerie they'd found abandoned, all of them sporting painted collars with different colors, the bodies of the girls moved and curved and danced harrowingly to the sickening upbeat tune that played over the boombox. The sound quality left much to be desired, but it was all they had that didn't run directly off of electricity, and they had plenty of D-cells that had no other use anyways.

"That's it, ladies, keep it up. Practice makes perfect!" Damien shouted more encouragement over the music, chuckling at their pained expressions and embarrassment. A few found it in themselves to twirl a little faster, dip a little deeper, just to avoid being approached or touched.

Yes, Damien thought with a mirthful grin, today was a good day.


	15. Bite The Dust

Things had fallen into a sort of routine for Law and his companions. The day after deciding to stay, Law informed Margaret, who had woken up looking a little worse for wear, that he would be staying separate Shachi and Penguin from then on, requesting to remain in the guest 'suite.' She'd raised a surprised brow at that, asking why he didn't want to remain together with his friends, but Law refused to disclose the reason why, casually replying that it was his decision and for the best. Reluctantly, she agreed that he could stay there temporarily until they had need of it again, though he could feel her curious glances in his direction the rest of that day. For the most part, he ignored them.

Immediately, Shachi and Penguin reported to her for their new trailer assignment, and were shown to one further down the way to an empty vehicle. There weren't many unoccupied trailers to choose from, having only two empty ones left for housing, but they seemed content with their new accommodations, marveling at how comfy the beds looked for a zombie apocalypse.

After they'd moved their belongings and gotten settled, they reported to Margaret for their tasks for the day. Law hung back and waited until they were instructed what to do, running off to find the other repairmen, before he approached the woman in charge.

"I'll head over to the infirmary now, if you'd like." He offered, and she nodded, wincing slightly at the apparent headache that still pained her.

"I already let Tara know you'll be staying, but there is something else." Law had began to turn away, but stopped and returned when she continued. "I'd like you to teach her the more advanced stuff. She's doing the best she can with what she knows, but as you so kindly pointed out to her the other day," she gave him a pointed look, to which he refused to appear ashamed, "that may not be enough for the group's needs. We'd be a hell of a lot better off if we had two trained doctors around."

"Hmm." Was all Law said in way of his objections. He didn't particularly fancy the thought of having to teach the redhead. It all seemed trivial, anyways. Had she been a more eager or willing student, someone who'd actually chosen the medical field as their subject of study, rather than being thrust into the position, he'd had been a bit more enthusiastic about the arrangement. He found that students who were more inclined to want to learn the material were more likely to retain it and use it correctly.

Margaret sighed deeply, and shook her head. "Look, I get that you two may not get along at first. Just…think of it as an investment. Tara will know how to more easily help you treat wounds if she knows what she's actually doing."

Law didn't really have an argument to that, considering the brunt of Tara's annoyingness was her obvious ignorance of most everything medical. This seemed like the best remedy for it. That didn't mean he had to like actually working to get her to the point of adequacy.

So, with an indifferent shrug, he nodded. "Very well."

"Great." She smiled gratefully, as if she'd expected him to refuse. That made him pause. A leader who felt her people would outright disregard an order? How strange. "You can head on over and start working with her. I'd like you to be present in the infirmary during most of the day, just so people know you're available. You'll have a break for lunch and dinner, but seeing as you never know when things might happen-"

"I'll be on call." He guessed, already familiar with how emergencies worked and the unpredictable hours a doctor would sometime have.

"Right. Sounds like you know the drill." The black-haired woman nodded, cheeks flushing. She must have realized she was talking to a certified doctor, who already knew the way things were. "Anyways, I'll let you get to it." Forgetting one last thing, she grabbed Law's shoulder before he could walk away. "Oh, and…about what happened last night…I'd like to keep it just…between you and me, alright?"

Law held her gaze a moment, until she looked away in either shame or fear. He didn't want her thinking that he was following orders because he wanted to. No, he only felt obligated to comply because one wrong move on his part may have negative consequences on his friends' chances of staying.

"Of course." He finally replied lightly, as if only casually conversing. And with that, he walked towards the infirmary trailer, unable to shake the feel of her stare at his back.

The first few days were definitely the most taxing, both because of the endless questions from Tara, and the stares Margaret kept giving him when she thought he wasn't looking. Honestly, it was getting a bit creepy, the amount of times he'd look over and catch the woman's quick glance away, cheeks slightly pink, fearing that he'd noticed her watching. Which he did. Every time. After a point, it almost seemed like she  _wanted_  him to notice, to which he didn't understand her attempt at discretion. God, women were so frustrating sometimes. If there was something she wanted, why didn't she say something about it?

Being used to the rapid hustle and bustle of a hospital emergency room, where one learned to expect the unexpected, things were remarkably quiet and uneventful in the camp's infirmary. Which should've been a good thing, considering they didn't have an unlimited amount of supplies to treat people with. But Law almost wished someone would get shot in the foot to give him something to do, if only to occupy himself so Tara would stop trying to talk to him so god damn much.

The medical-related questions he was fine with. After all, it was part of Margaret's decision to have him teach her. No, the ones that chipped away at his already thin patience little by little were the irrelevant, nosy ones that seemed only to stem from her blatant curiosity of his character.

"How many patients do you think you've seen total?"

"More than I can count."

"How long were you a doctor?"

"Several years."

"Have you ever been sued before?"

"No."

"Do you have really bad handwriting? I heard all doctors do."

"No."

"Prove it."

"…"

"Oh, wow, yours looks really nice. Hey, what's the longest shift you ever worked? Don't doctors have crazy long hours?"

"More than a day."

There was a pause in her seemingly endless questions. A break from her jabbering mouth, a blessedly rare thing. Perhaps it would last more than a handful of-

"What was the weirdest thing you've ever seen in the emergency room?"

Dammit.

Law considered just ignoring her to see how long that would afford him from the next question, glancing over to see her lounging on the cot reserved for a potential patient. Had she been a real nurse in a real hospital, he'd have berated her for her recklessness and unhygienic practices.

The old doctor in him almost responded instinctively with a remark about confidentiality, but considering 90 percent of the world was probably dead, if not more, there was probably no HIPPA to enforce such regulations anyways. "I don't know. It's been a long time." He replied shortly, hoping the conversation would end there.

"There's gotta be something that stuck out in all that surgery stuff you did. You didn't just have a desk job, did you?" The disappointment was fairly evident in her voice, but he ignored that little quip.

Instead of speaking, he only sighed, rubbing at his head to try warding off his growing headache. Tara finally seemed to realize all her questions were wearing him down, and jumped down from the counter to land on her feet. The trailer shook from the impact, before settling back to normal again.

"Jeez, didn't know I was that annoying." She snarked as she turned away with a swish of her hair. Law watched as she opened up a cabinet and pulled out a tattered magazine from the small stack within. "You know I'm just trying to get to know you is all? If we're gonna be working together, I'd prefer to at least know you a little bit. Gives me peace of mind that you won't blow my brains out in the middle of the day."

 _Perhaps you could do so in a less annoying way._  Law thought, deciding that it was probably in his best interest to keep that tidbit to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was piss the annoying woman off, which would only prompt a more annoying angry response on her part.

Passing him by, she walked to the very opposite end of the trailer, where there was a plush seat built into the side of the vehicle. The leather had long ripped away, cracked, and split in two, but Tara sat on it anyways, bouncing up and down a moment as she took her seat. With a flick of her wrist she opened the magazine and promptly ignored him in the same fashion he had to her.

Law didn't mind the silence for awhile, and he eventually stood to go over their medication inventory again, if only to familiarize himself with their store. It would save him time later if an urgent treatment came around. Not to mention, he didn't have to sit there awkwardly in the thick silence of the trailer. His goal was not to be friends with her, rather, just tolerate her enough not to kill her. So far so good…

For the first week or so, this was their normal routine. Tara would ask her barrage of questions to the point that Law could tolerate them no more, in which case they'd fall silent and occupy themselves doing various tasks inside the trailer. Perhaps this wasn't the best style of teaching Law could come up with, but it was the best he was willing to enact upon.

Law was constantly checking inventory and equipment, making sure everything was clean, or as clean as they could be given the circumstances. The high risk of infection made the working environment a daily battle to contend with. At least Tara seemed to understand the importance of cleanliness, so that was a plus.

Sometimes, very rarely, they'd get a member of the group come in with an injured hand or foot, something that required actual medical attention. It was agreed upon that Tara would handle the smaller wounds-bumps, scrapes, small burns, minor symptoms of sickness- and Law would handle the bigger things, like stitches, lesions, infections, medication distribution, and any other assortment of afflictions that came in through the door. Those that Tara could not handle, she would shadow and learn form him how to properly treat them. Seeing as they didn't have a regular inflow of patients to use as example, it was a slow going process, but at least she was learning.

When someone was in for treatment, Law went straight into 'doctor mode,' as Shachi and Penguin loved to jokingly call it, and focused only on the patient's care. Even if he couldn't stand Tara at all that day, he'd at least keep it in check until the patient left the trailer. Thankfully, the redhead seemed to realize this and followed suit as well. When a patient was around, it was all business. Just how he preferred it to be.

Dinner was a quick affair for the two doctors. Tara would leave first to join the group in the middle of the camp, surrounding the fire pit in the middle as they ate. After she finished, Law would take his dinner. Margaret suggested taking their meals in shifts so there was never nobody in the infirmary during the day.

Once most of the group began to turn in for the night, Law and Tara would take their leave of the trailer and return to their own to sleep. It would never be locked, despite Law's initial recommendation to do so because of the amount of medication inside. Margaret wanted 24/7 access to the infirmary in case of emergency. He couldn't really refute that, so he kept quiet, though a little unhappy that all that medication was left unattended and without security measures in place. Perhaps he could request a door with a lock be installed.

It had yet to happen quite yet, but Margaret had brought Law aside with one of the wall guards to talk about how to best alert Law to an emergency without waking the entirety of the camp. From that conversation, it was decided that since the guards roaming the perimeter already had a way of alarming him in some way, they would stomp on Law's trailer to wake him in case he was needed in the infirmary. Law's status as a light sleeper would make this an effective measure.

After more than a week of staying at this camp, Law had resigned himself to the drab routine and dragging hours. There were times when he'd think back to days on the run from the mindless undead, almost missing the constant challenge to survive, the constant need to be planning and thinking and  _doing._  The inactivity wore at his soul. Lack of stimulus, lack of trust, it all added up to him actually  _missing_  being out there again. That was certainly not something he ever thought he'd say.

Margaret, after telling the group about their dire food situation, had proposed longer and farther scavenge missions, which had proved successful, as the first group of survivors had returned with a hefty supply of canned goods, enough to hold them over another week or so. In addition, she announced her plan of an expansion to the garden to increase their growing capabilities. Everyone seemed to agree it was necessary, and they'd begun gathering materials to build the bigger wall around it. The construction team, Shachi and Penguin included, were rarely seen inside the camp at all during the day, either out looking for supplies, or away from the group to put together the skeleton of the wall.

Law found himself alone in a camp of strangers most days. The only times he saw his companions were at dinner, and even then, they didn't speak much beyond the casual pleasantries, updates on the wall, and other trivial things. Law and Penguin seemed to be slowly, very slowly rebuilding the broken trust in their friendship, but it was still in the first stages of recovery. Penguin had yet to say he'd forgiven him, something Law had been hoping would come by now. Shachi was just happy to see the two getting along and not yelling at each other. Other than their small chats at dinner, their jobs in camp kept them mostly apart, leaving no room to chat to themselves.

Unsurprisingly, though he did well to hide it, Law lay awake in his bed with a heavy heart most nights, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong, or that things would never be the same between him and his best friends. So quickly it had fallen apart…

He allowed thoughts of a certain brunette only rarely, deciding that it wasn't wrong to wonder where she may be, safe or otherwise. Most of the time, though, he reserved thoughts of her to when he was alone in his trailer, staring up at the metal ceiling as he waited for sleep to come. Was she alright? Doing better than they were? Would they ever cross paths again? The odds of bumping into each other were apparently much higher than he'd ever expect, looking back at all the times they'd already met before. Perhaps this is what people called fate, if you believed in such a thing. Law did not, but the evidence spoke to the contrary.

Somehow he knew that Lexi would have been on his side of the argument to stay or not, if she'd been there. Her sense of danger, at least from what he could tell, was sharp. Nothing else explained how she was able to survive for this long already. Maybe a woman's opinion would have been able to convince the others to leave…Dare he say it, he wished she was there. He was 100% sure she would have been less exhausting to talk to compared to Tara. At least she knew what she was talking about, and didn't blather on incessantly about things that didn't matter at all.

Now that he really thought about it, she was rather pleasant to see. It gave him that tiny spark of hope that maybe there were still good people left. If anyone could survive and pull through, it was her.

Hmm. Maybe he should extent the offer for her to travel with them. Then he'd finally have someone to talk to about things he actually cared for, instead of women and construction projects from years back. Hell, the longer he thought about it, the more appealing it seemed to be. Maybe it was time to place his trust in someone new. Maybe he  _was_ too cynical. Baby steps, as they say.

He fell asleep still thinking about her, wondering where on earth she could be…

* * *

 

Damien was nowhere to be seen. He'd attached the end of the chain to the bedpost of… _their_  bed, reassuring her that he'd be back soon with his creepy smile, then left through the door, locking it soundly behind him. She'd waited with a tense chest, expecting to hear his heavy boots tromping up the stairs any minute. But still, nothing. Still, she was alone.

As soon as he'd gone, her makeup began to bleed from the unrestrained tears, sobs getting caught in her throat. He'd be angry when he got back, seeing her so messed up and unkept, but it wouldn't matter soon enough.

Her shackled feet clanked together as she dropped to the floor, mindful of how far the long metal chain would allow her to go. About ten feet out, far enough to reach the toilet should she need it, but not far enough to grab anything from the bathroom counter, the chain yanked taught, stopping her by the thick, gold-painted collar around her neck. She watched the desperate figure of a woman in the mirror, staring back with tacky makeup and despair marking every line on her face. It was time. She'd had enough.

She knelt at the bowl of the toilet, reaching behind it as far as she could with scrabbling hands, finally feeling the sharp edge of the makeshift knife she'd stashed there the night before. It had been hell to get ahold of this, but she had it now, and that's all that mattered. Nothing else mattered.

That nervous tension in her belly rose significantly as she clutched the blade to her bikini-clad chest. Bare feet padded back to the bed, and she climbed in slowly, sitting with her legs laid out in front of her. Arranging the pillows behind her for support, she leaned back and breathed deeply.

Eyes travelled to the ceiling, where the tiny carving of her name hovered above her. As far as she knew, Damien had no idea it was there. She intended for it to stay that way. A subtle warning for the next one to take her place. Perhaps they'd be able to do something that she could not.

Her gaze lowered down to the knife, and she held it up for a moment, marveling at its sharpness. Maybe all her fears were groundless. Maybe she wouldn't feel a thing…

Bringing her wrist up to eye level, she positioned the knife right above some of the visible veins, hesitating only a moment before she slit the skin quickly, gasping aloud at the pain. No, it had indeed been painful, but that was alright. The blood immediately began to flow down her arm and onto the sheets beside her. It was warm. So warm. Before she could go back on her decision, she repeated the action to her other wrist, slashing a thin line in her skin and watching the red blood flow freely.

The knife fell from her fingers into the comforting beside her, forgotten as she lowered her wrists back to the bed. The pain began to ebb, leaving her body as slowly as the warmth did. It was so, so cold. Her sense of time stopped, almost reversing entirely. Was time even passing? How long had she been there?

The light shined in through the shutters to her left, and she almost couldn't look at it, it was so bright. When had it gotten so bright? Maybe it was more than the sunlight. Was this heaven? She hoped so. She missed her parents. It had been so long since she'd seen them. She hoped they were waiting for her.

Her head lolled to the side, but when she tried to lift it, her muscles were far too weak to move. Something red began to soak into the pillowcase her head was on, just in view of her vision. What was it? It was so hard to think. Her mind was fuzzy, going slowly blank…

Suddenly everything was black. Had her eyes closed? She couldn't quite tell…

* * *

 

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the lifeless body sprawled out across the bed. Damien sighed in frustration. "God dammit." He muttered, strutting up beside the bed and looking down on the mess. Her blood had soaked into most of the bedding, an ugly red stain pooled around where her wrists were. There was no way those stains were coming out.

"Fucking…just great…" He had to resist the urge to kick the bedside table in anger. Turning in place, he stomped out into the hall and pointed at the first person he saw. "Clean up the mess she left in there! And get me some new sheets. And a mattress." He added as an afterthought, realizing that was probably ruined too.

"Ah…right, sure thing." The man nodded, hesitantly heading in the direction of Damien's room. The leader descended the stairs of the house and stepped outside, heading towards the main operations tent further down the way.

Upon entering inside, he saw Chase and others standing around the main table where the map was laid out. They looked up at his approach, and greeted him with nods.

"Chase, my man." Damien greeted casually, as if he hadn't just seen a dead body a few minutes before.

"What's going on? Thought you were gonna spend some time with your lady." The man looked confused.

"Well, looks like she decided to bite the dust. Slit her wrists, right there on the bed."

"Huh, what a waste. Those were some of the bed sheets we had." Chases nodded along, his gaze drifting back to the map on the table. "So, that mean you're coming with?"

"You got it. We'll leave first thing tomorrow." Damien patted him on the shoulder affectionately, giving him an encouraging grin, before turning and heading towards where most of the laundry was done. Hopefully they could clean the blood thoroughly enough that they could be salvaged.


	16. Let Bygones Be Bygones

Just as the last few weeks had progressed, there was a very predictable routine that was followed every day. His shift at the infirmary would begin, where Law would have to endure the multitude of questions from Tara, then to lunch several hours later, before returning to the infirmary for the most part remaining of the day. It was miraculous Law hadn't already resorted to cutting people up to work on them, considering just how bored he had become of staying in that blasted trailer all day. God knew he'd memorized which medications they had stocked ten times over already, to the point he could recite them alphabetically in his sleep.

Still, he remained silent, willing to bear the awful situation as it presented itself. This was for Shachi and Penguin who, every time he passed them by or saw them in the camp, seemed much happier than before. In the short time they'd spent living amongst these people, the two mechanics had apparently hit it off quite well with the others in the construction team, spending most of their time with them, lounging around or off building the wall around the garden not too far from the camp.

It'd be lying if Law tried convincing himself he wasn't a bit jealous of the easy bond they'd grown between the other camp members. Seeing them so trusting and willing to place that unwavering faith in someone they didn't know so quickly…Although, Law's obvious lack of friendships around the camp was due to his own reluctance to pursue any. If he'd put in the necessary effort, he was sure he could do the same. Before the world went to shit, he'd had plenty of friends. But now…he just…didn't want to. The thought of working towards that felt like more effort than it was worth, honestly.

These exact thoughts were swirling around his head as he sat in the middle of the camp eating his light lunch of stale crackers and the last few sips of a water bottle. Obviously it wasn't much, but it was enough to get by for the time being. He knew in another hour, his stomach would begin grumbling from the lack of food overall, the lunch doing very little in terms of curbing anyone's hunger, but there was nothing to be done about that.

There had been a light rain storm passing over for the past few days, leaving the camp waterlogged and damp for the most part. The air felt moist and heavy, even though the sun was currently beating down on them, causing an unbearably moist heat that was exhausting and uncomfortable. Law shift positions in his chair, munching noisily on his crackers, when he heard the squish of footsteps approaching him in the damp earth.

Looking up, he saw Penguin and Shachi saunter up, albeit a bit awkwardly, with small smiles. Law straightened instinctively. It had been some time since they'd initiated contact with him so openly, only conversing when they happened to be near. This was the first time since their fight that they'd openly sought him out.

"Uh, hiya Law." Shachi said, leaning on one leg with a cocked hip.

"Hey." He responded shortly, not quite sure what else to say.

Penguin looked away hesitantly, the discomfort practically pouring from his posture. Finally, he turned to Shachi and nodded, some silent sign Law didn't understand.

"I'll, uh, leave you two to it." The redhead got the message, walking away with a shrug. This left Penguin and Law alone for the first time in a long time.

"You can sit, if you'd like." Law offered the closest chair a few feet away. Nodding again, Penguin grabbed it and scooted it closer, facing the fire pit that was several yards away. He sat slouching comfortably, hands still in his jean pockets.

Law continued to eat his light lunch, waiting for Penguin to say what he was there to say. Neither spoke a word for several minutes, the casual background noise of the camp and the crunching of Law's crackers the only thing marking a passage of time. Law was worried this was the 'It's not you, it's me' equivalent to cutting off their friendship, seeing as Shachi had left them alone. Perhaps this was the end of the line, where they no longer desired him sticking around if it was only for their sakes…

In which case Law would prefer if Penguin didn't say anything at all, but he would still let him speak.

"I forgive you, you know…" Penguin suddenly started after a long period of thick silence. The words made Law tense, glancing over at his friend as if to be sure he'd heard that right. Penguin was staring straight ahead, mulling over his thoughts so he wouldn't be distracted. Or, perhaps, so he wouldn't have to look him in the eyes.

"…" He didn't quite know how to respond. This was…a bit surprising. But in a good way. Needless to say, a large weight he didn't realize had been weighing him down seemed to be lifted from his shoulders, the figurative load evaporated with a single word from his friend. The heavy heart in his chest didn't feel quite so heavy, and he could feel the smile of relief pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"I mean…we're brothers, Law. You, me, and Shachi. We've had each others' backs for the longest time, and some little fight's not gonna erase all that." Penguin continued, leaning forward in his chair to place his elbows on his knees. "You can frustrate the hell outta me sometimes, both of us…but you're still my brother. And maybe I've got a few things to apologize for too…"

Hearing this, Law shook his head adamantly. "No, you had a right to feel as you did. There's nothing to apologize for."

Penguin turned to the doctor and sighed, shaking his head. "Just hear me out, alright?"

Silently, he nodded. He would listen without interruption. Penguin was owed that much, and more.

"I'm not apologizing for the way I felt about staying or anything. That's still something I'm sticking with. But the way I acted about it was…maybe a bit of an overreaction. And I dragged Shachi into it without him getting a say."

"Then you should apologize to Shachi for that. I don't feel you were out of line, considering the situation." Law shrugged when Penguin gave him a pointed look, obviously displaying his doubt. "I didn't have to like what you said. Brutal honesty, if you want to call it that. It was something I needed to hear, you just had to say it a little louder this time."

At that, Penguin chuckled quietly. "You always were a tough sell, yeah? Still, I'm sorry for acting like I did."

"Forget about it." Law gave him a forgiving grin, showing him that there were no hard feelings between the two of them. "And I'm sorry for neglecting to think about what the both of you wanted before making a decision." He looked away a moment, frowning in thought. "Perhaps one of you should make the decisions from now on."

"Ah, come on. You've gotten us this far just fine. Between the three of us, I'm pretty sure you're our best hope for surviving." Penguin waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, all that's water under the bridge now. Things worked out alright in the end, didn't they?" Penguin gestured around the camp vaguely. He followed his arm's sweep, taking in their surroundings again.

"Depends on your definition of 'alright.'" Law answered bluntly, eyebrow cocked, but Penguin didn't seem bothered by his ever-present pessimism.

"Still don't trust this place?"

"I told you before. You can't force me to."

"No, I get that now. Sorry for that, too." Penguin conceded, scratching the back of his neck. "I at the very least, and I'm pretty sure Shachi does too, think that this place isn't too bad. We've got food, a decent place to sleep. I guess you could say we've got jobs again too, heh. The people aren't too bad, and the hot girls…"

"Aannnddd, there it is." Law smirked, having expected something of that nature to be one of the 'perks' he mentioned.

"What? Have you seen that redhead you work with? Tara, right? She's at least an 8."

At the mention of the young woman in question, Law sighed tiredly, reminded that soon he'd have to go back to the infirmary and actually associate with her. "I'd appreciate if you didn't bring her up."

Confused, Penguin cocked his head to the side. "Eh? What's wrong with her?"

"She never stops asking useless questions."

His hatted friend chuckled and leaned back casually in his chair, arms crossing over his chest. "Ah, she can't be that bad!"

Law's only response was a long, blank stare in Penguin's direction. Finally, he shook his head.

"Well, maybe you should just try harder to understand her. Women like being understood. Who knows? Maybe it's her way of coming onto you or something." Penguin leaned closer and lowered his voice. "In case you haven't noticed, there aren't many options for the, uh, opposite sex around here. You can't afford to be choosy anymore."

"Why does it always come back around to sex for you two?" Law bemoaned to the sky above, eyes rolling up in faux annoyance. If Penguin was offended by the claim, he showed no sign, doing nothing but shrug good-naturedly with a grin.

"There's nothing wrong with…'perusing the merchandise', so to speak." He claimed, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Besides, it's not like they aren't thinking the same thing. We've all got needs."

"Hmm." Was all Law said, or rather, hummed, seeing as he didn't really have an answer to that one that wouldn't insinuate anything. They settled into another easy silence, no longer thick with the previous tension their fight had caused, instead feeling contented that they'd seemingly fixed the cracks in their almost broken relationship.

The rest of his lunch was spent catching up with Penguin, before he had to go back to the infirmary and finish the rest of his shift. It was nice to just sit there and talk for awhile, something that none of them had done since out on their own, crowded around a campfire or lounging around some nondescript apartment. Idly, he shook his head ruefully. Out of all the memories he had, the once spent roughing it up with his two best friends in a zombie-infested broken world were the ones he cherished most. How strange.

Finally, he stood, promising to head over to their trailer once his shift was done so they could catch up and hang out like old times. With a small wave, he left Penguin and headed off towards the infirmary trailer.

Once again, he could feel a feminine stare at his back, blue eyes piercing into the back of his neck like pins and needles. His eye twitched, the thread of his patience growing shorter and shorter with each second she stared. It was almost a relief to be back in the trailer with Tara, no longer feeling that intense gaze boring into him.

How long would it take her to just say what it was she wanted? He was tired of all these games.

"Law."

The authoritative, yet small, female voice called his name as he was heading to Penguin and Shachi's trailer later that day, and he stopped in his tracks at the sound. The effort of restraining his deep sigh was greater than he'd imagine it would be, but it didn't stop the slight eye roll once he realized who it was. Turning, he saw Margaret walking to catch up with him, finally coming to a stop with her arms crossed.

Her shoulder-length hair was tied back today, out of her face, but she looked much different than what Law was used to. Like seeing her in a backwards mirror, it just seemed…off. She'd only ever worn it down that he'd seen.

"Yes?" He prompted, after there was several seconds of silence.

"Ah, right!" She caught herself, face displaying her surprise as she realized she'd been silent. "I wanted to ask how Tara's training is going. Is she improving?"

Law shrugged nonchalantly. "There aren't many things for her to treat at the moment, but from what I can gather, yes she is improving. Albeit, a lot slower than I'd hoped."

Margaret sighed, her shoulders slumping an inch or two. "That's not exactly what I hoped to hear." Then, she brushed back a stray bang from her face behind her ear, only to have it flop back in front of her eyes again a moment later. "At least there's been  _some_  improvement, though…"

Sensing she wanted more than that in way of explanation, Law decided to elaborate a bit more. "Tara knows basic first aid, she can treat various cuts and scrapes, so long as they don't go too deep into the flesh. Her knowledge of the medication isn't what it should be, but for simpler procedures, she should be fine."

Margaret seemed to think this over a bit, eyes cast to the ground, just as the moon reappeared from behind some clouds, illuminating the camp in a faint white light.

"Would you feel comfortable leaving her by herself for a day without supervision?" She finally asked, looking back up at him curiously. He frowned, unsure of what she was getting at.

"I suppose, granted there are no life-threatening injuries during that time where an active surgery is required…why exactly?"

"Well, there's something that I'd like you to do, but it's a bit of a hike to get there. You'd be gone most of the day, maybe even two."

"You want me to go on a field trip?" Law asked incredulously, one eyebrow cocked. Had he heard her right? "What exactly is it I'm going out there for?"

"There's a survivor holed up in a house in the city, but he's injured. We've tried moving him, but he refuses to go anywhere until we bring a doctor of some kind to look at his injuries. I'd considered bringing Tara before, but to leave the group without a medic for a day or so is something I don't want to risk." Margaret shrugged, rubbing at her arm as if to warm it.

Law frowned, eyes flicking back and forth as he listened to what she was saying. "How long has he been injured? You don't seem very urgent to help him."

"Well…we've brought him medicine in the past. He's survived as is for several weeks, but we can't keep using manpower to keep him alive if it isn't going to do anything. If we can help him, I want to try moving him back to the camp, I don't want to just leave him out there. And if there's nothing we can do…" She trailed off, crossing her arms and looking away in discomfort.

"You want me to kill him." Law said blatantly, understanding what it was she was getting at. He didn't much care for this errand, to be quite frank, but it sounded like this man was in need of help, in which case his responsibility as a doctor kicked in, telling him that this was a human being who might possibly be saved.

It was Margaret's turn to sigh, nodding slowly to indicate he was correct. "I've…" She started, but had to take a minute to think about her words. "I've caused enough people to be killed, I don't think I could just end his life like that. And as weak as that sounds coming from a leader, if at all possible, I'd like to avoid it coming to that."

Law looked away, feeling both used and as if he was doing her a service by considering her proposal, a strange combination to feel. Still, something bugged him above all else. "Look, Margaret…" He started, gesturing to the camp. "I get that you don't want to leave anyone else to die, that you feel like this is your penance of a sort, but you also have to think of those who you're already responsible for."

She frowned. "What do you mean exactly?"

"From an objective view, this group is fairly close to starving to death at any given point, and yet you continue to bring in additional mouths to feed, struggling to find ways to support these new people, all the while wondering how you're going to fix the problem." Law tried saying as politely as he could, yet frustrated she couldn't see the flaw in her own thinking. "The problem is bringing in the new people. There's a limit to how many can be supported in any given population. You have reached that limit, and surpassed it."

She frowned, opening her mouth to retort, to deny or defend her actions. Law didn't give her the chance.

"How are you helping more people when you end up starving everyone else in the process? How is that logical, Margaret?"

The black-haired leader said nothing, staring at the ground in either shame or anger. In the darkness, Law couldn't quite tell. The moon went behind another cloud, shrouding the camp back into the blackness. The camp around them was quiet, most of the other occupants having retreated to their personal campers, leaving only a handful of survivors not including the guards lounging around outside.

For several seconds they both just stood there, two leaders in their own right, but Law figured he'd drive the point home for the sake of emphasis that her way of thinking was not as sound as she thought.

"You may have the right intentions with accepting everyone you meet, but that is not the path to redemption. You can't save everyone. You more you ignore that fact, the fewer people you actually help."

Law waited, staring at her intently so she understood that his reasoning was logical, and she eventually nodded slowly. "Yeah…maybe…" Understandably, she was rather morose at the thought of not saving anyone else, but at least she was reasonable enough to understand he was right about this. "But…I still want to save him. If I can, I want to save this man. Just one last life that I might be able to help."

Her blue eyes were muted in the darkness when she looked up at him, but he could still see the hope and silent plea for him to understand that she  _needed_  to do this. Something in her demanded she save this man. He supposed it made sense, up to a point admittedly. As illogical as it was to go out and save a single dying man, there were times when you just had to accept the emotional attachment other people placed on strange things and concepts. Sentimentality ran much deeper than fact and logic ever could.

"Fine. I'll go to help this man, but if he's in as bad a shape as it sounds, it may be too late to do anything. Medically, I have the say if he is in any condition to live, no matter how much you may beg for it to be done."

"I understand." She nodded resolutely, all business-like again. The leader that she was began to merge back from the broken woman she'd been just a moment ago, her mask piecing itself back together again right before his eyes. Fascinating, indeed. "Thank you for agreeing. I owe you one, Law."

"Hmm." Was all he said, watching her smile in appreciation before walking off to her own trailer. He cocked his head and watched her go, before remembering that he was supposed to be meeting Shachi and Penguin, and turned to head that way.

* * *

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" Damien shouted at his guard, pacing the floor of his bedroom back and forth with agitation. Scowling deeply, he glanced at the closest object-a lamp that sat on the hallway table-and viciously sent it flying into the adjacent wall, shattering it into a hundred pieces. The clash of glass against plaster rung out through the little house, instantly dampening the silence even further.

The young man, swallowing nervously, eyes glued to the wood floor, shifted from foot to foot. Damien was not a man to be trifled with when angry. This was the most explosive he'd seen so far.

"Tell me again." The leader mumbled, running a hand through his hair to try to calm his temper.

The young man almost didn't catch what he'd said, and the pause of hesitation in answering was enough for Damien to believe he hadn't. Suddenly, the older man rounded on him and gripped the lapels of his jacket in a restricting grip.

"Tell me again!  _Tell me!_  I want to be sure I heard that fucking right!"

"I-I'm sorry!" The young man backed away but only hit his back against the wall, Damien pushing him as hard as he could into the fading wallpaper. "She just-I never saw…I don't know how she escaped!"

"Well, there'd better be a good fucking reason why you didn't realize it! How am I supposed to keep this place running when you don't do your goddamn jobs!" Face inches away from the boy's, he could practically see the fear in his pupils, but it only fueled his rage.

"I stepped out to have a smoke! A-a-and when I got back inside the cage was open! I'm sorry, Sir!" Damien hands clenching his jacket tightened, shoving relentlessly against his chest with growing strength. The young man's hands scrabbled against his hands to try to pry them off, but to no avail.

Just as suddenly as the rage had presented itself, it vanished, and Damien released the boy from his grip. Stepping away from him, he exhaled audibly, straightening his clothing with his hands.

Too terrified to say anything or go anywhere, the young man simply stood, trembling against the wall, gulping down precious breath.

"Sorry ain't gonna bring her back, boy." Damien responded in almost a whisper, and the younger man strained to hear. Before he could register what happened, Damien whipped back around, knife in hand, and stabbed him fully in the chest with the blade.

"Argck!" He cried out, doubling over from the pain, forcing him to lean into Damien's form. "Whrgh…D-Damien…" He tried saying through the pain. The knife twisted, tearing an wretched mix of groaning and screaming from his body, to the point where he wondered if the noise was actually human. Just to prove a point, Damien retracted the weapon and stabbed him again, this time a bit higher up, closer to where his heart was.

"S-ssss-top…" He croaked out, a trickle of blood leaking past his lips and onto his jacket. The strength was being leeched from his body, and he slowly sank to his knees, Damien following the entire way as he crumpled to the floor with a thud.

Feeling the rest of his strength leave his body, Damien stood back up, yanking the knife from the boy's body, and watched as he fell the rest of the way to the floor limply. Eyeing the red-covered blade expressionlessly, he wiped the blood onto his pants, ignoring the whimpers of pain from the boy trembling and scrambling for something to help him on the floor.

His boots thumped against the wood as he walked out of the house, approaching the first man he saw on the stairs going down.

"Clean up the shit upstairs." He commanded gruffly, pushing his way past the dazed man before going about the rest of his business for the day. He was tired of things not working out for him. Maybe he'd grab the nearest woman and release some stress. Yeah, that sounded pretty good.

So saying, he headed towards the Doghouse in a much better mood.


	17. Make Me Forget

"So…a sword, huh?"

Law watched as the body of the decapitated zombie fell to the dirt, the head rolling off in a separate direction. Glancing back at Margaret, who walked past with an impressed look on his face, he he flicked the blood from his blade. He cleaned the rest off with an old rag he carried around, stuffing it back in his pack with the medical supplies and equipment afterwards and sheathing his sword on his back.

"What about it?" He questioned with a raised brow, following after the woman as they walked along the highway. The morning was cool, pleasantly so, especially with the rain having stopped. The moisture didn't hang quite so heavy in the air as the storm had passed, and it didn't stick to your skin as it had before. Law and Margaret walked side by side, boots crunching on the dirt and gravel of the road.

The woman smiled, one hand on the hilt of her knife in case of any zombies that might come around, the other swinging carelessly by her side as she walked. "Out of all the weapons you could have, why a sword? And…where'd you even get one?"

"Well," he started, ducking under the branch of an overhanging tree, "when the news started reporting about all the death and dying, I grabbed the closest thing in my house. Just happened to be this." He patted the top of the grip affectionately, glad to finally have it's weight returned to his back.

When they'd first arrived at Woodsfield Margaret had relinquished their weapons, and they'd kept them in the armory ever since. He hadn't realized he'd missed the familiar feeling of his sword at his back for these few weeks.

"That first day, it was hard to tell what exactly was going on. All anyone knew was that people were attacking people at alarming rates, and going out without a weapon would've been too dangerous." He shrugged, as if it was the most casual thing in the world. "Besides, it's a bit more effective than a little knife.

"You just had a sword laying around your house?" Margaret asked in disbelief, then shook her head with a smirk. "Wait, don't tell me. You used to cosplay on the side of being a doctor, yeah?"

"Nothing quite so dramatic." Law gave her an unamused glare, finally turning his gaze back to the road before them. "It was a family heirloom, passed down to me when my father passed away."

"When did he pass? If you don't mind me asking."

Law's eyes drifted past the scenery, seeing something from a long time ago. "When I was 13. My mother as well."

"Oh…I see." She replied awkwardly, looking to the ground for a moment. "I'm-"

"Don't. I've heard that phrase time enough." He cut her off, knowing exactly what she was going to say. The same words he'd heard heard pretty much his entire life. It was repetitive, redundant. Empty words.

"R-right." She stuttered, shutting her mouth and returning to looking at the path ahead. The trees on either side of the road afforded them a bit of shade from the sun. She'd insisted they take the road instead of traveling only through the forest, lest they accidentally get lost on the way to the city.

The thick silence hung for several moments, and Law relished it for the time being. With a glance at the woman beside him, he saw her resolute expression, slightly embarrassed that she'd seemingly angered him with her questions. He sighed quietly, knowing that she hadn't meant any offense by them.

"People say they're sorry too much, for things they can't control or that had nothing to do with them. After awhile the sentiment…just fades away. Loses meaning." Law decided to explain. Sure, he didn't have to like Margaret all that much, but being a stoic asshole wasn't really the best way to tolerate her either.

The black-haired woman looked up in surprise when he spoke, probably not expecting him to elaborate, but she nodded nonetheless. "I could understand that. Gets a little old after being said a thousand times, huh?"

"Yeah." He admitted, walking on towards wherever this town was. He swallowed past the lump rising in his throat. Now wasn't the time to think of what could have been. He hummed, narrowing his eyes in thought. "I don't know. For something that happened so long ago, it seems even less meaningful now. It's easy to forget that people died even before all this, before the world ended. "

"…" Margaret was silent for awhile. "Yes…I guess it is."

* * *

 

Instead of stopping for lunch and wasting time, they ate what few things they'd been able to take with them from the camp food supply as they travelled. It was still pretty low which meant they couldn't eat much, especially with so many people in their community, but it could last a lot longer rationed out as it was. So they weren't in any immediate danger of starving. At the moment. A day's time could certainly change that.

The pair walked on, keeping an eye out for the few zombies that wandered the road. Law would have guessed there'd be more than just the occasional zombie, but Margaret had explained that over time, the ones that wandered into the forest had been killed by the camp. Any others that happened to be in the area, the other camp had taken care of during raids, or they'd slowly gathered up in the city, naturally attracted to the noise of large groups of themselves.

Abandoned cars dotted the road, rusted and decrepit. Some of them had missing pieces, like doors or windshields. Law wouldn't be surprised if looters had already ransacked what they could out of them, taking anything that seemed useful. He couldn't help the inclination to peer inside the old cars, wondering who had once owned them, and if they'd lived long after the initial breakdown of society.

The morning sun rose high, until it was directly above them, and the trees no longer offered the shade they had a few hours earlier. The temperature rose significantly once they were bathed in the sun's rays, and the heat made Law's shirt stick to his back from sweat.

Some time later, they passed a green road sign, displaying the miles to the next few exits. "Miltonsburg. 4 miles." Margaret pointed up at the sign. "Another hour or so and we'll get there."

"How infested is the city?" Law asked out of curiosity, wondering how they'd managed to bring this survivor medications on multiple occasions so easily if the city was overrun.

She shrugged. "Not completely swarming with those things, but enough to warrant a problem. The towns and cities around here were never highly populated to begin with, so I guess that's made it a bit easier to slowly clear them out."

"Clear them out?" Law wondered aloud.

"I'm sure you remember Laings? It was the place you probably followed my people from when you arrived."

Law nodded.

"Well, I'm sure you noticed it was pretty much empty of zombies. Same for the other towns closest to us. After 2 years, little by little, there are less and less zombies in the area, until you just kill them all in a town when out scavenging and such." She shrugged again, unperturbed by the thought. "But, he's not in the middle of the city anyways. His house is a little ways outside the main roadway. There shouldn't be too much activity there."

"Hmm." Law observed with a hum, mulling over that information.

Facts still weren't adding up to him. Like why exactly were they doing this, all of this, for one survivor? Why go through all the trouble? Law had been uneasy starting out with the woman on this little trip, and that discomfort hadn't waned since their departure.

* * *

 

For the next few miles, the landscape gradually faded from forest on both sides to open meadows with tall grass, before finally the grass seemed to recede to a normal level, giving them both a view off in all directions. Up ahead, Law could see houses dotted here and there, the outskirts of the town they were heading towards.

"Are we getting close?" Law asked, and Margaret nodded.

She pointed to some of the houses further to their left, down a smaller road branching off from the main one. "It should be the fifth one down on the right."

About halfway to the house, they began to hear the groaning of undead once more, and two of the shambling dead appeared from behind one of the houses. They meandered their way over towards Law and Margaret slowly. Law preemptively unsheathed his sword from his back, and Margaret took out her knife at the ready. The two survivors took out the zombies with ease, and quickly made it the rest of the way to the house.

It wasn't anything spectacular on the outside. It was a rundown old home, painted a light gray, which was peeling and chipping as time went on. The stone steps leading up to the front door were cracked and falling apart. The garage looked dented in at one point, but was still intact enough to block any entrance.

Predictably, the windows were barricaded on the outside, and Law was willing to bet on the inside as well. The sides of the house and the door had scratch marks on them, most likely from zombies trying to get inside. Overall, it looked well-fortified though. They approached the front and Margaret went to knock on the door.

Her knuckles rapt sharply against the wood of the door several times. "Zach! It's Margaret, I'm coming inside!" She called, stooping down to lift the doormat. A key lay underneath, and she used it to unlock the door.

Law watched as it opened without a problem, and she replaced the key before stepping inside the house. She gestured for him to follow, and he did so, closing the door behind him. Remembering to lock it again, he stepped further into the dark house, blinking to try to adjust his eyes quicker to the lack of light.

He stood in the cluttered and dusty foyer, seeing Margaret make her way to the living room further in. To the left was a kitchen, the counter stacked high with various cans of food and a large jug of what he presumed to be water. Empty cans littered the floor, the lids scattered about. Passing it by, he went to where Margaret was.

"Zach, how are you doing? Feeling any better from last time?" She asked, approaching a blonde, young man sitting on a plush chair. He looked no more than 20 or so, maybe not even old enough to drink. His face was gaunt, sunken in from lack of food and nourishment.

"Uh…I'm fine, I guess. The pain's steadily gotten worse though." He grimaced as if to prove his point, slowly shifting his body in the chair. Law came closer, eyeing him up and down with the clinical eye he'd developed during his doctor's career.

Margaret gestured to him with a small smile. "Zach, this is Law. He used to be a doctor, and I brought him along to help you."

Law nodded, shrugging off his backpack onto the floor. Zach didn't seem too impressed with him, and looked back to Margaret.

"I didn't actually think you'd bring a doctor…hell, I didn't think you had one in your camp…" He admitted in a small voice, as if speaking also hurt. Margaret let out a little chuckle and shook her head, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. He squinted minutely, but Margaret didn't notice and he said nothing.

"I wouldn't lie like that. You told me specifically to bring one, didn't you? Then you'd come back to the camp with us so we could help you."

"Y-yeah…" He agreed half-heartedly, switching his gaze over to Law again.

Law, who'd been listening intently up to that point as he took out his precious few pieces of equipment, picked up the subtle uncertainty in the man's words. Perhaps he too felt suspicious about this woman. Or perhaps there was more to it than he knew. Hmm. This visit would prove interesting then.

"Have you been diagnosed with any illness that could be the problem?" He started by asking. While he didn't have a patient record at his disposal, he could at least try eliminating some possible theories.

Unfortunately, Zach shook his head. "No idea. I was healthy before everything happened." So much for ruling anything out. Still, he'd dealt with patients like this before. Asking the right questions usually got him the answer he was looking for.

"How long ago did you start noticing the pain?"

"Umm…about two months ago. Something like that."

"What symptoms have you noticed?" Law placed his stethoscope around his neck, walking closer to Zach and kneeling on the ground so the young man didn't have to get up or move anywhere.

At his question, the blonde man glanced over at Margaret. Sheepishly, he cleared his throat, and pursed his lips. "Uh, do you think…you could…" He started, gesturing away from the room.

Realizing what it was he wanted, Margaret looked suddenly surprised. "O-oh! Sure, I'll just, uh, be in the other room." She gestured to a bedroom further back in the house and awkwardly dismissed herself from the living room, closing the door behind her so she couldn't hear them in case it would make him uncomfortable.

"Symptoms?" Law asked again, just a little relieved the woman wouldn't be breathing down his neck the whole time. Now he could just focus on figuring out what was wrong with the kid without any modern medical equipment. Back to the basics it was.

"Right…well, it's difficult to walk much at all. I'm constantly in pain. Um…sometimes I just feel stiff, you know? If that makes sense."

Law nodded in understanding, gesturing for him to sit up as straight as he could. "Do you mind?" He asked, indicating Zach's shirt, all the while bringing the stethoscope to his ears.

"No, it's fine. Go ahead." He nodded, looking away awkwardly. "So…you're like a real doctor…right?"

"Yes, I am. I need you to breathe deeply." Law instructed, lifting the bottom of Zach's shirt and placing the cold metal of the scope close to his lungs. He listened for several seconds, testing various spots on his chest for the sound of his breathing. "Now shallow breaths."

Zach did ad he was told, and finally Law went to take a step back, lifting his shirt again so he could retrieve the stethoscope, but he paused upon seeing the young man's chest. It was difficult to see in the darkness of the house, the only light coming from the cracks in between the barricaded windows, but the dark bruises weren't exactly easy to miss.

"How did you get these bruises?" He questioned, searching the rest of his skin for similar signs.

"Ah, they sometimes just appear. If I move wrong, there'll be this sharp pain, and a bruise will form soon after. I'm not quite sure how…"

Remaining silent, Law began to have an inkling as to what was wrong, but he didn't want to make any early assumptions without more evidence. Returning to his bag, he pulled out a flashlight that Margaret had allowed him to take. She'd warned him not to use it for very long, conserving the battery if at all possible, but he only needed it for a moment anyways.

"I'm going to shine this light in your eyes. Try to keep them open." He explained, returning to Zach's side. The young man nodded, and Law gently held open the boy's eyes. Clicking the flashlight on, he inspected his eyes, noticing that his pupils dilated to a normal degree. Though that wasn't what he was checking on in the first place. Ah, yes it appeared that the sclera of his eyes were tinted slightly blue. He checked the other eye just to be sure, but the result was the same.

Turning off the flashlight, he resisted the urge to sigh heavily. His theory was almost entirely solidified. Still, he wanted to be 100 percent sure. After all, the boy's life was literally hanging in the balance. Zach cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly.

"Did Margaret ask you to do all of this?" He asked quietly. Intrigued, Law nodded his affirmation, and Zach sighed in frustration. "When I told her I would go with her if he brought a doctor, I didn't really mean it you know."

"Why not?"

"…" For a long time, he didn't answer. "Even if there's something you can do to help me…I'm not sure if I even want to be helped." He finally said with a slow shake of his head. His expression shifted into something resigned and exhausted and just…done with the world he was in. Depression was a common thing among the survivors in this world, and it had definitely hit Zach hard. Not that Law really blamed him, but wallowing in his sorrow wasn't the way to live.

"Not that I'm condoning the idea," Law started, carefully choosing his words, "but if that were the case, wouldn't taking your own life be the answer?"

"I've thought about it. Hell, I've even semi- tried it. But…I'm too scared to do it." His eyes looked up at Law pleadingly, as if willing him to understand how he was feeling. "Even when I tried starving myself, the hunger pushed me to eat. I…couldn't do it."

"Then perhaps you don't actually want to die." He concluded clinically. "Subconsciously, you're hoping help will come."

"Yeah…maybe…but I didn't think Margaret would actually take me seriously. I don't know why she's holding out all this hope that I'll get better."

"She's not one to give up on other people, is she?" He mused aloud, stepped away from Zach and going to put away his equipment. He probably wouldn't be needing any other items anyways.

"Which is why I couldn't really tell her to stop. She would just refuse to give up." Zach admitted with a tiny smile. "I appreciate all the effort and care, but she needs to worry about herself and her own people. Not some dying kid she barely knows."

"…" Not seeing quite how to respond to that, considering he agreed with Zach and thought this whole trip was mostly a waste of resources and time. However, you couldn't really tell a patient that, regardless of how hopeless or frustrating the situation seemed. Without saying anything at all, Law stood and stepped back.

"Can you stand?" He implored, skipping over the previous conversation and trooping on in his examination.

Zach suddenly looked worried. "Stand? You want me to stand?"

"Yes. Will it be too painful?"

"Y-yeah. I haven't really been able to walk for the past few days…The leg pain has just been too much to bear."

"That's fine. I'll just need you to extend your legs straight out then. Will that be alright?"

"Sure…"

So saying, Zach braced himself as much as he could on the arms of the chair he sat in, lifting his feet as far off the floor as he could manage. It was surprisingly low for how strong the young man should have been, but his condition was slowly degrading at his strength. Law supported the back of his legs the rest of the way, making sure not to cause unnecessary discomfort or pain. Once he'd extended his legs as far out as they could go, Law held them in place so they wouldn't fall back, inspecting his legs critically.

His limbs bowed out just the slightest bit, to the point where you wouldn't notice outright unless you were actually looking for them. But still, that slight bow of the bones was enough to cement his suspicions in his mind.

"Thank you." He said, allowing Zach to lower his legs back in a comfortable position.

"So…do you know what's wrong with me?" Zach eventually asked, watching as Law returned to his pack and pull something out. It was a bottle of medication, but he couldn't quite tell what it was.

"I think so, but I'd like to do a few more tests beforehand. They may be a bit painful, so I'll give you this painkiller before we do anything else." So saying, Law stood, handing him two white pills and a water bottle. "It's very potent, but it'll still take a few minutes to take affect."

"Alright." Zach agreed, taking the offered pills and downing them with a sip of water. Handing the bottle back to Law, Zach settled in his chair and waited for the painkiller to take effect.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to speak to Margaret for a moment. Let me know when you think the medication has fully set in." Law instructed, putting the bottle of medication back in the bag and went to the bedroom where Margaret was waiting.

Law entered the room and closed the door behind him, spotting the black-haired woman eyeing the picture frames hanging on the wall. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, and she gave him a little smile when he approached.

"Zach's a good kid, yeah? We found him while out scavenging one day, he even gave us some of his cans before we left." She recalled, eyes drifting as she recalled that day. Then, her gaze returned to his and she looked hopeful. "Did you finish the examination?"

"Yes." Law admitted, leaning against the wall and crossing his own arms to match her posture. "Zach has Brittle Bone Disease."

"Brittle Bone…so something like osteoporosis, right?" She looked a bit more worried, but he could still see that infernal hope in her eyes. Hope that it wasn't as bad as reality would make it seem.

"Similar, but much worse." Law corrected, shaking his head. "His case in particular is more severe than what you would normally find in someone his age, no doubt due to the poor nutrition and lack of essential vitamins."

"Well, what can we do to-"

"Nothing, Margaret." He cut off, finally staring into her face unguarded. Knowing the type of person she was, he had to make her understand this. "There's nothing I can do for him."

"But…there's gotta be something…" She started, realizing just how serious Law's gaze was, just how dire the situation was. "You were a surgeon, right? There's gotta be surgery to help fix it…"

"Sure, there is. Surgery that requires metal stints and fixtures, not to mention anesthesia, extra supplies of his blood type, and a sterile environment. In the normal world, I would have been able to do something, but now?" Law shrugged with a shake of his head. "The most I could do it give him calcium and magnesium supplements to slow the rate of the disease, neither of which we have in our inventory."

"I…" She choked back a rather loud sob, no doubt to try preventing Zach from hearing her distress, lest he wonder what was going on. Her eyes flicked back and forth in the empty space between them, searching for some answer to her problem. They snapped up to meet his eyes again. "Can I at least bring him back to the camp to let him live the rest of his life in comfort? Or at least in the presence of other people?"

Frustrated that Margaret was still fighting him on this, Law pushed away from the wall and rubbed at his forehead. "Moving him would cause multitudes of fractures in his bones, all over his body. He's managed the pain up to this point because of his lack of mobility, but a day's journey would most certainly, literally, break every bone in his body."

Margaret exhaled loudly, covering her face with her hands as the realization that there was nothing they could do for Zach truly hit her. Law allowed her the moment of grief, before extending his hand. "Give me your knife."

"W-what?" She sniffled, eyes red-rimmed from tears when she looked up at him. He sighed, not entirely happy that he had to do this, but he knew Margaret was in no shape to take the necessary steps.

"I've given Zach a heavy sleep medication, so he won't feel anything. I need your knife." He reiterated.

She backed away a step, but Law only followed after, fed up with her games and indecisiveness. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her into the closest wall, earning a gasp from her.

Grabbing her knife out of her belt with his free hand, he put his face inches from hers. "I get you can't do it yourself, but you can't continue to run away from reality. People die, Margaret. You can't save everyone. That's the way things work now. You're supposed to be a leader, so get your shit together and start acting like one."

With that, he pushed away from the emotionally upset Margaret and left her alone in the bedroom, taking her knife with him as he approached the sleeping Zach in the other room. He made it quick, taking no pleasure in killing the young man whatsoever. It was as humane as Law could make it. At least Zach no longer had to live with the pain of his weakened body. At least he didn't have to deal with the world as it was now.

* * *

 

The sky was beginning to darken by the time Law and Margaret found their shelter for that night. It had only taken about an hour to meet with Zach, but Margaret had insisted they bury the young man properly. Of course, this meant having to find shovels nearby, then dig the grave. It took and hour or two to do all of that, by which time it was getting close to evening. Margaret felt the need to say a few words for Zach, as a way of a funeral, and Law gave her some space afterwards.

After some time had passed, he gently pressed that they move on and find a place to stay for the night. Traveling through the night would have been too dangerous, so they had to find somewhere nearby to hole up until morning. They picked one of the houses further down the road, or rather, Law had picked it. Margaret was pretty much number after what happened that afternoon, leaving Law to pick up the slack and make all the decisions.

They cleared out the house and barricaded the door as best they could. A few zombies banged at the windows of the front, but there wasn't much threat besides that, so they felt relatively safe. Margaret went to sit on the couch, while Law found whatever he could to reinforce the windows so they wouldn't break during the night.

Once all the precautions were made, Law returned to the living room, where Margaret sat staring into space, the tear tracks still evident on her cheeks. Law sighed, setting down his pack and sitting beside her silently.

He couldn't understand why she was so upset over losing this kid, but knew at the same time that any loss of life was devastating to those they knew, even those they barely knew. And seeing as Margaret felt she'd taken enough lives as it were, losing another was probably doubly as scarring.

For several minutes, both Law and Margaret simply sat there in silence, staring out into the empty living room lost in their own thoughts. Not even the groaning zombies outside the front door were enough to draw them away. Their consciouses weighed heavily against them, each for their own different reasons, but heavy with regret all the same.

Finally, Law looked around the place with a new sense of location, suddenly realizing they were not back at the camp, and that they were indeed still miles away from where the rest of their people were. Law stood stiffly, brushing off his shirt of any dust or wrinkles. "You should get some rest." He told her, knowing that she probably wouldn't be getting any sleep but that she probably should try.

She didn't respond, just continued looking empty and far away. Shrugging, Law turned to go into the kitchen and see if there were any supplies they could utilize. He doubted either of the were really up to eating, so he didn't bother suggesting it.

His search through the drawers gathered nothing in terms of food or water, and the living room held similar success. It wouldn't surprise him to learn that Margaret's people had already ransacked these houses, considering that's how they stumbled upon Zach in the first place, but it was worth a look either way. Maybe there were things they'd missed the first time around.

His search lead him upstairs to the bedroom, and Law was looking through the nightstand beside the bed when he felt a presence behind him. Tense, he turned and pushed that person into the wall, reaching for Margaret's knife that he hadn't yet returned, only to stop when he saw said woman's tearful face staring wide-eyed back at him.

"Law…" She whimpered, the clarity having returned to her eyes.

He eased up the pressure of pushing her into the wall, moving to take a step back out of her space, but she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him closer. She leaned forward to kiss him but he pushed her back by the throat, stopping her advance. She whined out in annoyance, though it sounded more like a sob than anything else.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled, refusing to get anything but a straight answer from her. She struggled to get out of his grasp but his strength was much greater than hers and he wasn't about to just let her off easy.

"I want you, Law. Please, I just want you." Came her breathy whisper, both laden with want and sorrow. She tried reaching for him again, but he only moved his hand from her throat to her wrists, pinning them to the wall on either side of her head.

"You're distraught. You're not yourself." He tried explaining to her calmly, but she adamantly shook her head.

"I've wanted you ever since you came to the camp. But today made me realize how much I need you. I can't do this without you, Law. Please." Her face came closer, seeking out his lips with hers, but he shied away just far enough so she couldn't reach.

"Margaret, stop."

"No! I just want to forget for awhile." She shouted out in frustration and anger and sadness. Fresh tears started streaming down her face and down her neck. When she spoke her voice cracked with her sobs. "I don't want to remember that I'm supposed to be some leader, that all these lives are hanging on my head! I just want to forget everything…It's like I don't feel anything anymore, or I feel too much. I don't know which is worse."

Law said nothing, just stared into her eyes blankly. She was mad, surely she was. He knew that her stares back at the camp for the past few weeks had something to do with this, but not it was just confirmed for him.

"I can't give you what you're looking for."

"If you think I'm trying to hook up with you long term or something, I'm not." She defended angrily, glaring at him through the tears. Her desperation hadn't waned, but the sadness had quickly melted into something much more explosive. "I just want to feel something again, like I'm in control. I hate feeling all this regret, all this blame hanging over me, so for god's sake just fuck me already!"

She shouted the last part at him in little more than a snarl, and he narrowed his eyes minutely. Her little outburst left him slightly speechless, but now he understood what it was she really wanted.

She wanted to forget? Fine, so be it.

Letting his pent up frustrations out as well, Law growled at the back of his throat as he leaned into her neck, biting her skin with more force than perhaps he'd intended. Margaret gasped aloud, a bit surprised that he'd initiated. Perhaps she hadn't expected him to agree, but there was only so much a person could take before they reached their limit, and Law had started feeling all that stress begin to wear at him the past few months.

He licked at his mark on her neck to ease the sting, releasing her wrists to tug at her shirt. Margaret allowed him to pull the garment over her head, revealing her creme colored bra that covered her breasts. As soon as she was free from her top, her hands sought out the hem of his own, tugging up to indicate she wanted it off as well.

Her lips sought his out again, but he avoided her kiss, instead returning to the skin at her collarbone, sucking and licking his way to her shoulder. Her gasps and whimpers of pleasure filled his ears, but they did little to excite him. After all, this was nothing to him but a stress relief, and if she found anything more to it than that, it was her own fault. He'd warned her, and he didn't want to give her any ideas by returning her kiss properly.

Law would pleasure her body, but he refused to pleasure her heart.

Fed up with the awkward and slightly uncomfortable position of the wall, Law picked her up from under her thighs and carried her to the bed, tossing her on the comforter without care. Shirking off his shirt and tossing it somewhere behind him, he joined her in the bed, intent on getting rid of this tension that filled his body.


	18. The Meaning of Nothing

Law lay awake, covered only from the waist down by the dusty, dingy comforter of a most likely long-dead stranger's bed, staring out the window of the little bedroom absently. It was still dark, but he could see the first vestiges of the light of the sun beginning to make its way across the sky. They would be on their way soon, he thought, giving no more than a glance at the sleeping woman beside him. Other than that one look, he did little else to acknowledge she was even there.

He felt…frustrated, to say the least. He'd caved in to his urges, and damn him, nothing had changed in the slightest. That tension he could feel on his shoulders hadn't loosened, hadn't gone away, and now added onto it was the worry that this would only make things complicated in the long run. Definitely not his smartest decision. What had he been thinking? Well, he knew exactly what he'd been thinking, actually, that he hadn't had sex in ages, and that maybe Margaret would be a viable option of getting rid of some of this stress.

Guess that plan was a bust, closing his eyes in annoyance when she let out a particularly loud and nasally snore, shifting on the bed to get in a more comfortable position beside him. At least she hadn't woken up yet, because he wasn't really in the mood to talk to her or see that relief or anger or happiness or whatever he'd see in her eyes. Law was never fond of the morning after routine, and this was no exception.

She was equally as naked as him, covered only from her hips down, but he felt no inclination to appreciate the view. She really wasn't his type. She was a bit older than him, not that her age was the only deciding factor in that, but she just…didn't appeal to him very much. Her personality and his weren't…compatible? That was the best word for it. He felt nothing towards her whatsoever, at least, nothing blatantly positive. Maybe in another life, another circumstance it would have been different, but there was no spark, no interest between them. At least from his perspective. Whether she saw something between them or not was her own fault and her own problem. Law wouldn't be blamed for instigating what had happened. Hell, she'd been the one to come onto him in the first place.

Margaret shifted beside him again, turning onto her back and draping an arm over his covered leg. The position exposed her bare chest to the room, and he noted the numerous hickies that littered her torso. Her hair was a complete bird's nest, scratches on her arms and shoulders where he'd been more than gentle. The sight of his doing gave him no pride nor satisfaction.

Feeling her unconsciously move closer to him in the bed, seeking his warmth or some other comfort, Law shifted his leg slowly out of the way, being sure not to wake her as he stood from the bed. Shivering slightly as the cold morning air hit his newly exposed skin, he walked to the other end of the room where most of his clothing had ended up tossed in a corner, stooping to pick up his pants and boxers.

Law dressed quickly, glancing over his shoulder every once in awhile to see if Margaret had awakened. For all the world knew, she was dead from how deeply she'd fallen asleep. Not that he blamed her. Three rounds was enough to sate most women, especially as rough as it ended up being during the previous night, and the exertion had done exactly what she wanted: made her forget why they'd come all the way out there to begin with.

Fastening his belt around his waist and tying his shoes, Law straightened and searched for his pack. There was still a half-box of dry pasta that he hadn't eaten for dinner the night before, and so he withdrew it as he exited the bedroom, making his way to the living room downstairs.

A quick glance out the front window confirmed that zombies still wandered the streets. At least they hadn't tried getting into the house last night. With all the noise they were making he could have sworn it would gain at least a few of their attentions. However, there was no damage to the barricades reinforcing the doors or windows from what Law could see. Satisfied that they weren't in any immediate danger, he set himself on the couch and opened the box of food. The shells crunched loudly as he ate, long ago having gone stale. They had no taste whatsoever, but at least it was something edible. Better than cans of dog or cat food like he'd had to resort to in the past.

In this time of silence and peace, Law found his mind wandering yet again, as it often did when he was left to himself. Out of everything he was thinking, one thought stood out most. He never should have come out here in the first place. Damn Margaret and her insistence on saving everyone she came across, damn the world for ending in the first place, but damn him most of all for giving in to his urges, letting his judgement be clouded by hormones and needs for one unsatisfying night of 'fun.'

Not for the first time, he lamented that Margaret was not someone else. Not, he mused with a frown, a brunette he couldn't help but think about. Growling in frustration and something a bit more desperate, Law tried blocking that woman from his mind, but nothing would work. He'd never been skilled at lying to himself, never, and he couldn't do so now for as much as he wanted to.

Why was it that she stuck out so much in his mind? What was it about her that made her so memorable? Hmm, the longer he thought about it, the more the answer became clear. Lexi, as unlikely and improbable as it was, was one of the few constants Law had come to appreciate in this post-apocalyptic hell the world had become. It was a strange sort of comfort to know that someone else was surviving just as him and Shachi and Penguin were. Someone actually worth the effort it took to survive, unlike some of the people he'd come to encounter. Her spirit was something rare nowadays, and the will to retain her humanity.

Humanity…Law wondered if perhaps he'd begun to lose some of his. As leader of their little group, there had been times when they could have taken a more humane option than the one they ultimately did. Not one of those examples did Law regret, and that was what set Lexi and him apart. Yet for as different as they were, Law couldn't help but think that they were alike in more ways than one. She certainly did not lack the will to live, and the will to keep those she cared for safe, not to mention her sense of honor was strong, something Law greatly respected.

Their seemingly-impossible meetings, time and time again, had perplexed him beyond belief, but had somehow come to be a sort of routine, something Law could look forward to at some point in the future.

And he truly did look forward to seeing her again, granted she was still ok…It had been an unusually long time since he'd seen her last, and Law couldn't deny that it worried him a minor degree. Even if she didn't travel with them, even if she wasn't a part of their group, he felt Lexi had earned his concern and support at the very least. Of course, bringing up the topic with Shachi and Penguin would only instigate another round of teasing at his expense, so he kept silent. But it didn't stop him from worrying all the same.

Munching absently on his pasta while deep in thought, Law almost missed the sound of Margaret opening the bedroom door upstairs, indicating she'd finally woken up. Blinking rapidly to clear his eyes of the glaze that settled over them, he glanced up at the sky outside, realizing he'd been sitting there for a lot longer than he'd thought. It was much brighter out than before, the sun not quite over the horizon, but it was only a matter of time before the sun's rays began to spill through into the house.

Sighing quietly with the realization that he'd have to face the black-haired woman at some point, Law grabbed the last handful of pasta he was willing to partake of at that moment, closing the box and setting it beside his pack on the floor. Without looking up to watch her descend the stairs, Law heard her give out a drawn-out yawn, followed by a groan of drowsiness.

"Morning." She mumbled, finally reaching the last step and turning to enter the living room. Hair still a mess like before, she'd redressed in her clothing from yesterday, albeit her ensemble looked a lot more disheveled, as if she hadn't bothered straightening it out to look more presentable. She carried her boots in her hands, the only thing covering her feet a worn pair of socks.

Just as he predicted, she gave him that sweet relief-filled smile, as if their relationship had somehow changed in the span of the last 12 hours, or like she knew something intimate about him that others did not. Hmph. So, it seemed her expectations of what came next were much higher than his own. That wasn't his problem. Despite what had transpired in their moment of collective weakness, he would not treat her any differently than how he had up to this point, and if she thought otherwise, that was her own naivety.

And so he glanced up at her entrance, nodding only minutely in response, before returning to stare out the window. Nothing more than that.

Even when Law directed his attention somewhere else, he could practically feel the good mood fade away as her smile did, perhaps realizing that nothing, in fact, had changed in the slightest, or that Law had already moved on, never to look back. Either way, she stepped past Law and sat on the couch, proceeding to put on her shoes.

They did not speak. And it was only when Margaret finished tying her shoes did she look up to him and try smiling that smile once more.

"I, uh…wanted to thank you." She started, but Law shook his head with a sigh.

"It's my responsibility as a doctor to try to save those who need help, medically. Even if the world has ended, I did take an oath to uphold those values." Standing, Law grabbed the box of pasta and went to put it back in his bag.

"That's not…" Margaret started again, hesitating as if she couldn't get the words out. "I mean, I do appreciate you…helping Zach and all…but I meant to thank you for…um…afterwards." Her voice took on an amused and slightly delighted tone, and he knew she was smiling yet again.

"I gathered as much, but frankly…I don't really need nor want the sentiment." He said, not bothering to turn around to face her. If there was one thing he hated about women, it was their incessant need to talk about everything. Shuffling through his stuff to make sure everything was there, he zipped it and stood once more, swinging it to sit on his shoulders.

"Excuse me?" Came her disbelieving question, like she hadn't heard him properly the first time around. He turned to glance at her over his shoulder, a brow raised, but he said nothing. Her own brows were raised high in surprise and she looked rather offended.

"Are you just going to act like nothing happened between us?" Came her incredulous scoff, and Law rolled his eyes. "You're just going to…move on like that meant nothing?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. Because it Didn't. Mean. Anything. I suggest you do the same." He explained without so much as a shift in his voice. If one didn't know better, he could have been commenting on the weather, or something else just as trivial.

"Then…what the hell was all of that? I thought there might have been…more."

"Then you thought wrong. You said it yourself, you're not looking for a long term thing, and I couldn't give it to you anyways. It works out."

She scratched her head in frustration. "Well…I'll admit, I did make it sound that way…but if there's any chance for something more serious to develop…" She trailed off, not quite saying what it was she wanted, but inferring just enough to where he'd get the meaning. He rubbed at his temples in frustration, already tired of talking about this.

"Let me put this plainly, Margaret." He started, as if he were talking to a ten year old. "Whatever feelings you may have, I suggest you quickly forget, because I have no interest in any sort of relationship with you. Nor do I intend to have a repeat of last night."

Margaret opened her mouth as if to say something but nothing came out. The shock must have overtook anything she might have said, if she could actually find the words for it, but Law didn't much care for any of it. Shrugging again, figuratively putting the whole thing behind him, he readjusted the pack on his shoulders and made his way towards the front door.

"We should get going soon if we want to make it back before dark."

Law heard her approach, then watched as she sidestepped past to stand in front of him. It took only a split second for her to raise her hand and aim towards his face, but Law's reflexes were just as quick and he was able to stop her from the slap that almost happened. He used the momentum to shove her face-first into the nearest wall, pulling an 'oof' of lost breath from the woman.

"You're a bastard." She breathed out between catching her breath and struggling to get him off of her.

He pressed her harshly into the wood wall, leaning in so his mouth was right next to her ear. "I told you before, I can't give you what it is you want. Did you think I would change my mind afterwards? That I'd be swayed by your wiles and tricks?" He questioned in a whisper, intentionally trailing his hot breath down the shell of her ear. He could feel the involuntary shiver run down her back, and it delighted him.

"How could something like that just mean nothing?" She grunted, frustrated that she still couldn't break free of his grip, but Law's strength was great and his resolve to get this concept through her head even greater. The words came out as no more than a low growl.

"You wanted to forget and I felt pity. I wanted to get rid of some stress and you offered. Goal completed, end of story. Move the fuck on, because I sure as hell already have." And with that he roughly released her from the wall, stepping away and ignoring her for the most part as he opened the front door, pulling his sword from it's sheath in preparation to kill the few zombies that were closest. He didn't bother checking if she were following. If she was smart, she'd realize that Law would legitimately leave her behind if she didn't get a move on. But that wasn't the first thing on his mind at that moment.

Killing things might help his mood a bit, and so he did.

* * *

 

Damien examined the dirt directly in front of him, ignoring the light shower of rain that covered him and his troop of men. The footprint was barely distinguishable against the rest of the landscape, but for a skilled tracker like him, it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. The impression was rather distinct for what a footprint should be, albeit only slightly, seeing as the wet ground had been soft enough to sink deeper into the earth, leaving the fairly obvious impression of a woman's foot if you were looking hard enough.

Exhaling on his cigarette, he stood from kneeling to inspect the print. "Yup, looks like her alright. Can't really tell how far she's gotten, but with that injury, it won't be too far."

"Chase got a pretty good shot on her yesterday, probably slowed her down quite a bit." Weston added, watching his leader and somewhat mentor survey the area around them. At the boy's words, Damien nodded his agreement but still sighed.

"She's definitely not running any marathons with that hit, but if he'd been aiming at a better target, maybe we wouldn't still be chasing her right now." He pointedly turned to Chase specifically, raising a brow in slight annoyance. The man frowned.

"What?" He defended with a shrug, rifle still in hand. "You want her alive, right? I did the best I could without killing her."

"Yeah, yeah, save the excuses." Damien waved off his defense, heading off towards the direction the footprint was going. The other men began to follow close behind, with Weston, the youngest, leading right beside him. "Either way, if she was smart, she would have travelled while we stayed and made camp last night. I have a feeling she's a lot further ahead than we expect even with that wound."

"She can't be that smart, right?" Weston questioned with a shake of his head. "If she was, she wouldn't have ended up with us in the first place, after all." He turned to their leader in curiosity, pleased to see that smirk of pride on the older man's face, directed straight at him.

With a chuckle, Damien laid a hand on the boy's shoulder with a chuckle. "They may be inferior, but they're crafty and cunning. Don't underestimate them, boy. That's how they get you. That's how you end up dead. Don't ever forget that."

"R-right, sorry."

Damien held his gaze for a moment more so he'd understand, then continued heading off. "Take care to remember that, then. Alright, move out! I want her found, so we can go back home already."

* * *

 

Needless to say, the rest of the trip home wasn't filled with friendly chit chat. Law mostly ignored the black-haired woman who walked slightly behind him, only following where her occasional directions guided him. Hell, Law didn't even look at her for the rest of the time. He didn't really care if she were in a foul mood because of him, or if he'd caused her to lose all trust in him, it was her own damn fault for expecting more than he could give, especially when he'd specifically told her it wouldn't work out. Women…

In fact, he quite liked the silence as they trekked home, giving him plenty of free time to pretend like she wasn't even there, if he ignored her footsteps for long enough. Yes, he quite liked this arrangement. Law tried enjoying the peace and quiet while it lasted, for he knew as soon as he got back to the camp, Tara's incessant questions would begin again.

The thought that Margaret may want to kick him out of the camp after this did cross his mind, but if she were smart, like he begrudgingly knew she was, then she wouldn't lose the asset of a skilled doctor just because of her pride and ego. Law felt confident he was in no danger of being exiled, and Penguin and Shachi were useful enough to not be affected too much by his actions. She wouldn't get rid of them either.

Hours passed by, until the sun was beginning its downward descent towards the opposite horizon behind them, casting long shadows along the dirt in front of them. They couldn't be too much farther from the camp. In fact, he assumed they were fairly close by at this point, because Margaret passed him to the right and walked on ahead of him for the first time that day, no doubt wanting to get back to the camp and forget this experience ever happened.

Law was fine with that too.

Another five minutes or so went by with just the two of them walking, before the camp came back into sight up ahead. Margaret walked a little faster, pulling ahead of him foot by foot, but he didn't even try to keep up with her. But his attention was quickly turned away from the leader of their group to the guards guarding the camp perimeter from the roof of the trailers, all but one of whom were curiously missing from their posts.

He frowned, stopping in his tracks. That worm of suspicion quickly grew, but he stifled it. Better to know there was a problem before making all these assumptions. Margaret must have heard, because she glanced back at him to see what the problem was. "What?" She barked out for the first time, clearly still angry with him.

"Something's different." He stated bluntly without explaining much, eyes still searching the tops of the campers for any more of the guardsmen. Only the lone man walked along the roof. However, he could still hear the usual noise coming from the camp, so perhaps it was all in his imagination.

"What's different?" Margaret tried coaxing again, this time not quite as harshly as she noticed the clearly serious concern in his expression. Her own eyes looked to where he was looking, finally noticing the missing piece, rather, the missing people that normally never left the perimeter unattended. There were never any less than three people guarding the camp.

The both of them hurried a bit faster to get to the gate, Margaret knocking on the metal plating to have them open up. It took a moment, before Marve peeked through a crack in the reinforcement to see who was there. "Thought you'd be back sooner." He huffed, swinging the gate open for them to go inside.

"We were…held up." She spoke vaguely, shaking her head to rid herself of Law in her head. "What's going on? Where are the rest of the guards?"

"Watching the survivor the scavengers found on their way back to camp." He stuck a thumb towards the infirmary trailer with a shrug. "Said she was half-dead, lying on the ground in the middle of the woods. Don't know where she came from, but she looks to be shot."

"Shot? Was there anyone else in the area?"

Marve shrugged again, closing the gate behind them securely. "Don't really know. Might want to ask the scavenging team." He reluctantly turned his gaze to the doctor. "May wanna go check on her if I were you. From what I saw when they brought her in here, there was a lot of blood."

Law narrowed his eyes. This day was just getting stranger and stranger. With a tired shake of his head, he headed over to the infirmary without a word to Margaret, knowing that she'd follow him one way or another.

Those hanging around the camp murmured to themselves, most likely about whoever this survivor was who'd been brought in by the scavenging team. There wasn't much to gossip about nowadays, and so an injured person showing up out of nowhere was the perfect seed for drama to grow from. It was all anyone was apparently willing to talk about now.

* * *

 

Opening the infirmary door in a rush, he must have startled Tara, who was leaning over the woman on the bed, holding a blood-covered towel and a small sponge. She cried as she turned around, eyes wide with fear for a moment, before seeing that it was only Law. "Jesus, you scared me!"

"How long ago was she brought in?" Law asked, walking past her and into the medication storage. A almost-empty box of latex gloves were sitting on the shelf, and he put them on quickly. Tara seemed to recover from her momentary fright, thankfully, and resumed cleaning the blood from her wound.

"An half an hour or so. She hasn't woken up yet, but her wound is still bleeding. I've tried to stop the flow with bandages, but it keeps soaking through."

"Then it needs to be stitched." Law concluded, reappearing in the main infirmary area with Tara. "Have you disinfected and sterilized-" He stopped short, laying eyes on their mystery patient for the first time since arriving, having been too busy preparing himself for surgery of some kind to notice until now. His brows rose high, inspecting the gaunt face, sickeningly pale skin, bruised body, bleeding gunshot wound on her right torso. But none of that really registered in his mind other than…

Lexi? He thought to himself, recognizing the brown ponytail with ease. The bikini top and bottom left little to the imagination and was a complete 180 of what he was used to seeing her wear. This may have given him pause in any other instance besides that one, because his eyes quickly locked on the thick, gold-painted metal chain that wrapped around her neck, a chain of links trailing from a knob on the side. It dangled down several feet to the floor, pooling and coiling in a pile. In his daze, Tara snapped her fingers worriedly.

"Uh, Law? What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" With narrowed eyes he shook his head to get rid of the shock. He'd think about what was happening later. Right now there were more serious things to attend to. "If you haven't sterilized the wound already, do so now. Is there an exit wound on her back anywhere?" Came his next question, mind shifting back into doctor mode so he could focus and work on healing her.

"No, this is the only one I could find…I think…" Tara answered indecisively. He closed his eyes, not for the first time wishing he had a skilled medical assistant instead of the redhead, but there was nothing to do about that now. Hearing the door to the infirmary open a moment after, there was no surprise to see Margaret walking through the door.

"How bad is she?" The woman asked, eyeing Lexi's unconscious form as she lay on the bed, surrounded by the two doctors.

"Unconscious and losing blood quickly unless I close the wound." He answered mechanically, not bothering to even glance in her direction. His hands felt along Lexi's back for any exit point of the gunshot, but found none. So, the bullet was still in there.

"I'll have to dig the bullet out." He informed Tara, gesturing to the pair of medical pliers they thankfully had available. She hesitantly gave them over after sterilizing them as best she could, looking a little squeamish at the thought of digging around her body for a piece of bullet.

Feeling Margaret's eyes once more on him, he sighed to himself. "Leave, Margaret." He told her seriously. "I don't need the distraction."

Margaret opened her mouth to speak, but Law had already turned back to Lexi and began searching for the bullet in her torso, the squelch of blood as he did so echoing in the trailer. Instead of the argument he thought was coming, Margaret only left the trailer without a word, leaving him and Tara alone with Lexi.

"Find the needle and threat. Once I find the bullet, we should be able to close up the wound." He instructed Tara, blocking out everything except his responsibility to save her if he could.


	19. Do Not As I Say

It was a quick 'surgery,' if one could even call it that. All Law did was take out the piece of bullet still in her body and stitch up the gunshot wound in Lexi's side enough to stop the flow of blood, then bandage it with the dwindling supply they had left, thanks to Tara's carelessness in treating the wound properly the first time. There was now a pile of bloodied bandages on the ground, far more than was necessary to fix the injury the first time, and they had little left for future procedures. Law would deal with that at a later point, however.

Once he was confident that the wound was as properly cared for as it could be given the circumstances, the doctor inspected the rest of her person for any other wounds they may have missed. The collar around her neck left chaffing marks and red skin that looks cracked and dry, on her lower legs and feet were scratches and cut marks, most likely from plants and trees in the forest as she walked or ran barefoot through it, and the malnourishment that was evident in her too-skinny figure. Besides the superficial wounds, there was little else wrong with her.

By the time they finished working on Lexi, it was dark outside and about time for dinner to be served. Tara left the trailer first, going to find her plate of food, leaving Law and his still-unconscious patient in the trailer alone. The exhaustion of the day was beginning to fall on him. With a sigh Law shucked off the rubber gloves he'd donned earlier and tossed them into the trash nearby, sliding to a seat on the nearest chair. A long day of walking plus the impromptu and unexpected operation at the end of the day definitely wasn't the most taxing thing he'd done while on a shift, but it certainly had worn him out nonetheless.

His eyes scanned Lexi's form once more, just to be sure there was nothing else wrong. He smiled a little, seeing that her wound from long ago had healed nicely. Albeit, there was a long, jagged scar running from her thigh down through her kneecap and a short distance down her shin, but at least it didn't appear infected or otherwise damaged. He wondered how long it had taken for her to get back on her feet after that incident.

For a while, Law simply sat there staring at the brunette, not realizing he was doing so. Not that he could help it, given this was all a bit surreal. The frequency at which Lexi was surprising him, both intentionally and without meaning to, was becoming all too often these days. And predictably he had a lot of questions for her if- once, she woke up.

Where in the hell had she come from? That was the most prominent, but others lingered dangerously close to the brim of his mind. Why was she dressed like that out in the middle of the woods? Lexi was sensible, not one to put herself in danger by wearing clothing so skimpy and revealing, especially when all it took was one scratch or bite to kill you. Who put this collar on her? They hadn't been able to remove it while treating her wound, but perhaps they could cut it off with bigger tools. Had something happened? Who had she been with? What had they done to her? There were no physical signs, but when it came to mental and emotional scarring…

As much as the worry about whether she was safe or not had been satisfied, seeing that she was 'safe and sound,' using that term loosely, in the camp with them, Law couldn't help but fear something else was brewing that he didn't know about, and Law didn't like not knowing.

Alas, there was nothing to do now but wait for Lexi to awaken, given she was the only one to possibly know the answers to those questions.

* * *

Some time later, Tara returned from getting her dinner, and returned to sit beside Lexi with a sigh. "Still hasn't woken up yet?" She ran a hand through her red locks, twisting the ends in her hand to smooth out any kinks.

"No." Law answered shortly, feeling like the question was all to redundant, considering she could see the answer right before her eyes. Thankfully he was able to push the urge to roll his eyes down enough to not show it. "It may be some time before that happens."

"Dang. Wonder what happened to her." She remarked, tilting her head to look at the brunette easier. "Like…what's with the collar?"

"I'm not sure…but it makes me uneasy." Law squinted into the space between them, feeling this nagging sensation at the back of his mind, like he should know the answer to that particular question. Something about it seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place the reason why. Shaking his head, he stood and smoothed down his clothes.

"If anything happens, come notify me." He ordered, pleased to see her nod without question, and turned to leave the trailer for his own food.

* * *

It came as no surprise, of course, when Margaret ambushed him while he was outside eating. What he didn't expect was for her to act as though their little spat earlier that day had never even happened, something he was immensely grateful for. Law didn't have the patience to try dealing with a bitchy woman in addition to all this exhaustion.

The black-haired woman sat in the chair beside him, crossing her arms and leaning back in the seat. "So, is she going to make it?"

"I believe so, given she hasn't lost too much blood. It's hard to tell exactly how much she could have lost before the scavenging team brought her here, but her wounds have been closed."

"That's good. Has she woken up yet?"

Law shook his head. "No. Judging from her condition, it may be another day or so before that happens."

"God…can't imagine what happened to her." Margaret slowly shook her head with a sympathetic frown. "I talked to the team that brought her in, they all say she looked like hell when they found her. I guess she was just lying out in the middle of the woods, bleeding from her side. There wasn't anyone around that they could see."

"No doubt, she's been through hell." He agreed, knowing much more of the brunette's character than the woman beside him. Just the amount of hell this woman has had to go through, he'd only seen a small glimpse of it, but she was certainly not without her demons. If Lexi had been found so broken, especially with her will to live and fight as strong as he knew it was, there was something bad brewing, he could feel it.

"Mmm…" Margaret muttered, staring off into the fire before them. For several minutes, Law waited for her to say something else, watching her out of the corner of his eyes as she simply stared unendingly into the flames of the pit, until finally, she broke her silence. "Back there…did you intend to kill Zach right from the beginning?"

Without hesitation, he shook his head. "I don't know what kind of man you think me to be, but I am not a heartless killer. Only after I knew what condition he was in did I take those actions."

"Well, I know  _exactly_  what kind of a man you are." She implied with a bitter tone, glaring minutely into the space between them. "But for the sake of this camp, I'm letting it go. Albeit with much reluctance."

"Hmm." Was all he replied, knowing that nothing he said or did would change her opinion of him at this point. What was done was done.

"God, why couldn't you have had a more pleasant personality? A doctor was just who we needed, but not an asshole." Margaret settled back into her chair, letting out a pent up breath. "And as much as I loath you, I can't help but listen to your advice. You're smart. Cunning. And a much better leader than I."

Curiously, he glanced in her direction, seeing the pained expression, as if simply saying those words hurt her. Hmm. Perhaps she was more mature and clear-headed than he'd first thought. "What makes you say that, hmm?"

"Don't be coy, bastard." She hissed. "I'm not inflating your ego any further."

"Aw, what a shame." He chuckled softly, pleased with the frustrated expression she sent his way. This didn't help her mood any, which he couldn't care less about. She went quiet, most likely glaring a hole into the back of his head if he were to guess. Several seconds of silence passed between them, until she cleared her throat and shifted in her seat.

"I've been thinking about what you said before, and unfortunately, you're right."

Her attempt at turning the conversation in another direction was not lost on him, but he let it slide this once. He was, after all, curious about what she meant. Law turned to her and raised a brow. "About what?"

Margaret shrugged, not looking his way. "I can't save everyone. And…doing so isn't a good way of repenting for what I've done." Her eyes took on a clarity they had lacked before. "And I've gotta start somewhere, right? I can't keep accepting everyone into our camp if I want the people we have now to survive. You're damn right about us almost starving…"

Fucking hell…

The grin he'd sported before quickly vanished and a seed of worry and tension began to pool in his stomach as he began to see where she was going with this line of conversation. Damn him. Damn him and his penchant for saying quite the wrong thing. He should have waited to say anything at all. Maybe it would have prevented this…

Despite Law's internal dialogue, she went on with her line of thinking, and it was exactly as Law feared. "It's not what I'd prefer to do, but it's about time I started turning people away. We'll start with her," Margaret gestured behind her to the infirmary, "and I'll let the rest of the camp know that we aren't accepting anyone else from here on out, at least until we can support more people."

She continued to talk about how she'd changed her mind, but he wasn't really listening. Law said nothing, simply stared out at the fire. This was not how he intended this situation to go. If he were to say anything now, about either knowing Lexi or wanting her to stay with the group, he'd be quite the hypocrite. And, knowing Margaret's opinion of him now, that may just sway the decision to oust the brunette anyway, simply out of spite. Though he felt Lexi was an exception from the rules, seeing as she could actually support her weight, and that of a few others, should they keep her around. Knowing her, she'd be out there looking for supplies and food, pulling her worth and then some.

Shit. This wasn't the ideal situation at all, but refuting Margaret's decision now would probably cause further problems down the line that he didn't want to deal with. So he remained silent, internally cursing his own stupidity and Margaret for deciding  _now_  of all times to change her ways and see reason. Perhaps he could solve this problem later on, but now was not the time to oppose it. After all, Lexi was still unconscious and he saw a way to buy himself some more time.

Margaret seemed to notice his lack of an answer, and looked over at him. "Is something wrong?"

Forcing that calm facade to remain intact, even as he shook his head no, Law gave a noncommittal shrug. "No, though I don't think it's wise to release her before she's well enough to fend for herself. Once she's healthy enough to live on her own, then we can send her on her way." He heard himself say those words, when all he wanted to tell her was ' _We shouldn't be turning Lexi away.'_

There was a second or two of silent thought, before Margaret reluctantly nodded. "It'll take up some more resources, but you're right. Even if we can't let her stay, we'll help her gain her strength back. That is, if she's strong enough to do so." The woman beside him took on a thoughtful expression, scratching underneath her chin. "What if she doesn't become healthy enough to leave?"

Law sighed, closing his eyes. At least he'd guaranteed that she'd stay as long as she could gather her strength. Still, it wasn't the perfect outcome. "Then we kill her." He said, knowing that he'd never go through with the suggestion, nor would he allow anyone else to do so. He owed that damned woman too much. There was still a major debt to repay, and Law's pride as a man and as a person was hanging on the line, at least in his own mind. "Though I doubt it'll come to that. She's a strong woman."

"Eh? You say that like you know her or something." A spark of suspicion crossed her face, but Law pretended he didn't notice, shrugging off the presumed accusation.

"Of course I don't, but someone her age, and considering what she's already survived through, I doubt a little blood loss would kill her now." Hopefully the familiarity didn't bleed through the lies he spoke. "If she weren't strong, she wouldn't have survived this long in this world."

Nodding a few more times in silent agreement, Margaret finally rose and brushed down her clothes with her hands. "Well, we'll see won't we? Let me know when she wakes up, or if she's too weak to let her leave by herself. After a week, though, a decision should be made." And with that  _positive_  talk finished, she left Law to finish the rest of his food, which had remained uneaten up to that point. Though, now he doubted he had the appetite to eat it anymore.

* * *

Shachi and Penguin were already in the trailer when Law returned to their shared space for the night. He'd moved back in with them a few days before, and he knew that they'd be asking him endless questions once he got back. Predictably, the moment he set foot through the door, they were already alert and bombarding him with questions.

"So, who's the girl that they brought in?" Shachi turned to look at their leader as he lay on his own bed.

"We were out building the fence for the garden and didn't get to see her." Penguin supplied, stretching out his back on his mattress. Ruefully, Law gave a grin and shook his head slowly.

"You'll never guess."

"Eh? Is that a challenge?"

Law chuckled under his breath, stretching to pop the kinks in his back. God, he hadn't realized how stiff he'd been feeling until give the opportunity to relax for once. It felt like it'd been too long since he'd sat down properly. "Take it any way you like." He replied, knowing that's exactly how they'd see it.

Obviously not ones to turn up a challenge, especially when they felt like their manhood was in question, which Law knew they did, Penguin crossed his arms and sat up a little straighter. "What, is it Courtney Love? Emma Stone?"

"Ooh! Ooh! I know, it's Angelina Jolie, right?" Shachi joined in, hopeful that he was correct.

"Nah, no way would she be all the way out here…" Penguin scratched at his chin in thought, seriously taking it upon himself to guess who had shown up. "Hmm…what about Becky Feltman? That chick that this dumbass dated back in high school?" He stuck a thumb at Shachi, who looked completely offended.

"Hey! I didn't  _date_  her, technically. We only went out once." Shachi clarified with a glare, holding up his palms defensively. His deadly stare did nothing to deter Penguin, who laughed at the man's distress.

"Yeah, in which time you still managed to mistake her for her sister. Twice. Smooth going."

"Damnit, Penguin, how many times do I have to tell you? They were  _twins!"_

"Well? Is it Becky, or her sister, uh…Sasha?" Penguin tried again essentially ignoring Shachi's defense, grinning over at Law, but he shook his head in amusement.

"No." Law replied with a smile, sinking into his own bed with a sigh of relief. These two would never change. "It's Lexi."

Their innate amusement quickly turned to expressions of shock and disbelief.

"What!? Lexi? How'd she get here?"

"Can we see her?"

"Is she alright?"

"Where'd she come from?"

"Alright, alright, enough." Law chastised with a frown, rubbing away at the headache that threatened to form at their endless questions. God, if he could go a single day without a question directed at him, he'd have died and gone to heaven. "She's unconscious, and she'd been shot, but she'll recover. First she's got to wake up, which may take a day or so."

"Ah man…I wonder what happened to her…" Penguin whispered, feeling very deflated at the less-than-positive news. "Whoever shot her better hope they don't show up here."

"Damn right. We owe her our lives, we can't allow her to just die like that." Shachi agreed, popping the joints in his knuckles in what was supposed to be an intimidating fashion. "Hey, we can finally thank her for saving our asses that one time."

"Heh, which time? She's inadvertently saved us a few times already."

"There's something you two have to know first." Law started, gaining both of their attentions. "Margaret cannot know that we know Lexi, understand?"

"But...why?" Shachi asked in confusion, not seeing the connection.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Margaret means to send Lexi away once she's healthy enough to be on her own."

"What!? We can't let that happen!"

"No way! Lexi's been gone so long and she's a friend. We can't just let her leave like that again."

"I don't like it either, but Margaret has already made the decision." Law growled, omitting his own involvement in the way things turned out. He'd tell them another time, but not right now. "At the moment, I'm not on good terms with Margaret, and if she knew that Lexi was a friend, she may send her away prematurely to get back at me."

"Why, what did you do?" Shachi questioned with a raised brow, but Law only shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, just don't act too familiar with her. For all intents and purposes, Lexi is a stranger, understand?"

They reluctantly agreed, and the conversation thankfully shifted elsewhere.

Shachi and Penguin talked about the brunette for awhile longer, making Law promise to allow them in the infirmary the next day to check on her. He reluctantly agreed, as long as they don't stay too long. He didn't want the small trailer to be overly crowded. Satisfied that they'd get to see their friend after so long, the two of them finally slipped off to sleep, leaving Law alone in his consciousness.

It still worried him that Margaret was ultimately going to send the woman away. All thanks to Law's own counsel, of course. If he'd have known Lexi was going to show up, he'd had kept his fucking mouth shut, but no, karma just had to come back around and spit in his face. How was he going to explain to Margaret that Lexi should stay, especially after his sound reasoning in not taking any more survivors in? And, lest he forget, how was he supposed to explain the situation to Shachi and Penguin?

He sighed gently, vowing to figure everything out once his newest patient had awoken. Unbeknownst to him, of course, Law's problems were only just beginning.


	20. We Meet Again

The very first thing that Lexi remembered feeling when she woke up was that…hell, she shouldn't be waking up at all. Hadn't she been escaping through the forest? Running for her life? Was this…heaven? If there even was such a thing…Or even…hell? The sharp pain in her side and shoulder brought the small amount of her consciousness that hadn't fully awakened yet up to the forefront, and she grimaced at the sensation of pain. Shit, maybe this was hell. Given the circumstances and the things she'd past done, there was little surprise she'd end up there…

Her ears picked up a faint creak, before other things began to register as her senses began to function again. Slowly, she cycled through them all, the pain from her body ebbing and easing in a steady yet predictable current.

Scent: some dingy, moldy linen smell, coupled with the metallic tang of blood, so faint she almost could imagine it wasn't there. And something…strangely…familiar. Had she been here before? Ridiculous, the next familiar place was miles and miles away, in her small hometown of Virginia.

Taste: her jaw slowly worked back and forth as Lexi's tongue tried rehydrating her mouth with saliva, but it did little in terms of easing the dryness. It had been at least a day or so since her last drink of water, though she could vaguely remember stealing a mouthful or two from the streams while on the run.

Hearing: there were a few other creaks, as if her surroundings were unstable, not fixed in one place. It confused her, because the cages hadn't ever sounded like that. The metallic bangs and clinks of chains against metal bars had a different ring to them then the dull bumps and creaks of where she currently was. And, uh…where exactly was this? That was the most important question at the moment.

Touch: her fingers twitched, feeling the scratchy linen beneath her. It wasn't as comfortable as a conventional bed, but at least it wasn't the cold sting of concrete or metal, as she'd come to get used to over the past month. Her head lay against something firm yet comfy, like a pillow, however the warm metal of her collar was still present on her neck.

Sight: this one came last, as the exhaustion of her previous escape attempt had leeched most of her energy, coupled with the harsh elements of the storm, and her already low nutrition level. It was too much even to think about moving, let alone to actually do it. But, with great effort and a whole lot of encouraging herself, her eyes cracked open into thin slits.

For several moments, she couldn't even see through the tiny sliver of her opened lids, still disoriented and confused, until blinking a few slow times finally helped to clear the film. The darkness of the room left little to see as she finally was able to do so, other than a riveted, metal ceiling. Or, at least, she  _thought_  it was a ceiling. For all Lexi knew, her sense of direction and orientation could also be skewed.

"Nngh…" She groaned through chapped lips, somehow managing to tilt her head enough so it fell to rest facing to the right. The collar made that a bit difficult, adding weight. Her bleary vision was clear enough to make out some aspects of the room, but not enough to truly understand where she was. A counter, with various unidentifiable items atop the surface. Two windows above them, thin curtains covering the glass and blocking any light from entering. However, since no light poured in, she assumed it was night. A plush-looking chair or seat further down, darkly colored but too black to really tell. A door, set just before the chair, and just at the edge of her vision. From where she lay, it appeared to be the only entrance and exit to the room.

The room itself was strangely shaped; long and narrow, instead of cubical in nature, with a metal roof? What was this place?

Once her vision had returned to a relatively normal level, she began to panic, unable to come up with an answer to where in the hell she actually was. Was this the camp? Had they found her? In that case, why wasn't she already dead? They'd obviously been ready to resort to lethal means to capture her, as the gunshot wound in her side attested to, but-

Wait. It had been dark, and the rain of the storm had at first washed away most of the blood seeping from the wound, but that shot had gone straight into her side, and there had been a lot of blood for sure. How was she not dead? Surely without any way to staunch the flow she would have bled out by that point.

Her arm had enough strength to ghost up her side and feel in the general area of the wound, but a layer of cloth stopped her from touching it. It felt soft, with some kind of adhesive paper holding the piece in place. A bandage…someone had helped her?

The arm that she'd lifted flopped back to her side, too spent to remain strained for too long. She was still extremely weak, but the uncertainty of where she was and who this place belonged to was more than a bit encouraging to get the hell up. Despite the muscles in her limbs protesting for her to lay the hell back down, the need to ensure that she was indeed safe far outweighed the desire to succumb to that feeling of comfort simply laying there afforded her.

With immense willpower and a few escaped whimpers from her lips, Lexi was able to force her body into a sitting position, her legs dangling over the side of the cot she was on. Wherever this was, she must have been in the medical building, now able to make out a few cotton swabs and medical instruments laying on the table. Sitting on the edge of the cot for several minutes, simply to catch her breath after all that exertion, Lexi took the opportunity to inspect the room once again.

Now that her head had more mobility, she could see another entryway to the left, but a long, thick curtain covered the entrance. It was too dark to see anything else, but Lexi was eager to get a move on and figure a way out of here. She doubted these people would help a stranger for free, expecting nothing in return, and after surviving the way she had recently, Lexi wasn't thrilled at the thought of having yet another debt to repay. There were a few people she had yet to return the favor for already.

Deciding that she'd spent enough time looking around, she began to ease herself off the edge of the cot with a wince. Every inch down felt like another impossible stretch of her muscles, but it had to be done. She had to get out. Slowly, her feet lowered themselves to the floor below, until her toes touched the short-fiber rug beneath.

The heavy-set sound of footsteps directly above her head made her jump from fright, and she slipped the rest of the way to the ground before she had a chance to stabilize herself. With her full weight placed into her legs, which were sore and too weak to support herself properly, gave way underneath her. Lexi collapsed to the ground loudly, crying out in pain as her side hit the floor none too gently. The long chain attached to her metal collar clanked against the ground and coiled into a pile beside her. Too distracted from the sudden burst of pain, she did not notice that the footsteps above had stopped abruptly, then hurried away at a quicker pace.

Curling into a fetal position to try to dull the pain, some instinctual need to make herself smaller, Lexi whimpered as she felt the hot tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes.

 _Shit…shit shit shit…_ She thought, an unending mantra said over and over in her head as the pain rose and fell in awful patterns, always returning, yet going away just as quick, only to return tenfold again.

Minutes, or perhaps hours, passed, before she heard voices approaching from outside. Both male, if she heard them correctly. The panic gave her the strength and resolve to push up from her place on the floor and begin dragging herself over to the thick curtain further away. Her teeth were gritted tightly together, almost painfully, as her weak limbs pulled her pulled closer to a relatively better place to hide. She doubted she'd get far, considering she still had no idea where this was or who was here, but Lexi would be damned if she wouldn't at least try to preserve her own life. She'd come too far to give up now.

Lexi had only closed the span of a few feet or so before the sound of a door opening, squeaking a little towards the end, came to her ears. She whipped her head around and saw the tall silhouette of a man enter the room. He stopped just inside the doorway to see what was going on, and in that time, Lexi had already began crawling away again, intent on not being caught by anyone again.

The man sighed before walking over towards her quickly. "Stop moving! Let me see your wound." He demanded behind her. She felt his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to turn her on her back, and she weakly shrugged him off.

"Let me go…" She hoarsely pleaded, throat still dry and scratchy. Her feeble attempts at tossing him off of her were no match against his strength. The fact that she was severely weakened didn't help much either. He was easily able to subdue her and flip her onto her back, but she shut her eyes out of fear, terrified that she'd see the very man who caused her to run in the first place.

"You're extremely lucky your wound didn't open up. I doubt there's enough bandages to stop the bleeding again." The man said, his fingers gently probing the sides of the bandage at her side. She flinched at how warm his hands were, compared to her chilled skin.

"Don't touch me…" She whispered, still unwilling to open her eyes, despite her curiosity as to who this man was. He smelled…safe…and sounded…vaguely…

"This may hurt, but don't fight." At these words, he stooped beside her and lifted her up by the shoulders and knees, and she whimpered as the pain flashed again from her wounds and sore muscles. Her hand clutched at his chest out of a need to clench something in her fingers, finding a warm shirt to bunch up.

He placed her back on the table she'd originated from. Lexi sank into the thin fabric of the cot with resignation. He released her, stooping to pick up the dangling chain and placed it on the cot beside her. Damnit, she was still too weak to get anywhere, and now they knew she was awake. Her future escape attempts wouldn't be as easy from henceforth.

"You can go now, I've got this covered." The man said again, but it sounded like it was directed to someone else. Her theory was confirmed when she heard the door shut further away, even though the man was standing right beside her. Which left her utterly alone with whoever this guy was. Fantastic.

"Lexi, open your eyes." The man said, an out-of-place amusement underlying his words. "You're in a safe place now."

She paused, freaked out that they knew her name somehow. Letting go of the man's shirt, she reluctantly did as he said, looking towards her presumed savior and captor. The darkness obscured most of his features, and she didn't recognize him at first, but slowly her eyes began to adjust enough to distinguish…

The hand that rested on the cot beside her had familiar black markings, visible even in the darkness of the room. Gingerly, she traced the pattern of the tattoo with her finger, as if touching it would prove it to be real or fake. She didn't seem to notice the man was watching her with interest now.

"Oh my god…" She whispered, eyes widening as she realized who this was. "Law…"

"The very same." The ghost of a smirk touched the corner of his lips as he nodded in obvious amusement. He wondered why she felt the need to touch his hand so gently, but forgot all about the question as she hoisted herself up towards him and wrapped him in a stronger hug than he thought possible given her condition.

"Shit…you have no idea how fucking good it is to see you." Came her muffled reply, uttered breathlessly into the collar of his shirt. He didn't know what exactly to do other than just stand there, accepting her embrace. After a few more moments, plus her squeezing him tightly just for good measure, she pulled away with a few tears in her eyes. "But first, where in the hell am I? How did I get here, and what are you doing here?"

Law sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked away tiredly. She frowned wondering why he looked so reluctant. "It's a long story."

* * *

 

"Hmm…" Lexi later nodded slowly, curling up tighter in the blanket Law had thought to give her. She was still wearing the skimpy bikini after all, and the trailer was rather cold, especially in the dark of the night. Even though he tried cutting it open with every medical tool he had available, nothing was strong or sharp enough to do any damage to the metal collar around her neck.

Lexi shivered, trying to let all that Law had said sink in. The pain medication he'd given her was dulling her senses a little, and confusion was still very much evident, but she tried her best to understand the situation as it was. "So, what? This Margaret lady is going to kick me out once I get better?" In response, the doctor nodded regretfully.

"That's right. According to her, we can't take in any one else if we're going to keep everyone we already have fed. While I agree with her, I know you're someone useful to have around."

"Maybe I can convince her I'm worth more to the camp by keeping me around?" She suggested hopefully, but deflated when he shook his head.

"Margaret is stubborn, and…doesn't like me very much right now." He admitted with a scratch of his head. "Having me vouch for you won't do much, and your skills alone won't change her mind."

"Well, ain't this a bitch." She laughed humorlessly with a small grin, rolling her shoulders to ease up some of the tension there. They still hurt to move, but she was slowly getting accustomed to her weakened state, and the medication dulled her nerve endings enough to mostly ignore the pain. "Either way, I'm thankful you guys found me. I definitely would've died if not for you."

Law shrugged. "Consider it a repayment of a debt." He watched as she tilted her head in confusion, then rolled her eyes with a scoff.

"Wait…you mean that time I shot that bandit?" When he nodded, she chuckled, then winced from the pain that shot through her chest. "Are you…seriously keeping count?"

Again, he shrugged nonchalantly.

"You don't have to, you know." With a deep sigh, she lolled her head to the side and grinned. "I suppose your debts have been 'repaid' though, yeah? Now I just have to return the favor…yet again. Heh, that must put it at…what, 3 times you've saved my life?"

"Something like that." Law chuckled, leaning on the cot Lexi sat on. "But don't feel the need to keep track. You've done enough for us that we would help you anyways."

"Oh really?" She quirked a brow, unconvinced.

"Ah…well…Shachi and Penguin would probably kick my ass if they knew I didn't help you out. And I'd rather not have them badgering me about it." Came his reply. She laughed at his words, for even if she didn't know his two companions that well, she knew they were as chivalrous as they came, or at least tried to be.

Law was thrilled to see her up and awake, and moving around as much as she could. He had been worried her state of health had been too severe to really recover, but it seemed Lexi's own will to survive was still strong as ever. And, something even more exciting, he now had someone to talk to that didn't test his patience with insufferable questions. Someone he could actually relate to and discuss things with in a pleasant manner. Something he hadn't had for weeks.

"So, how are things going to go from here?" She asked, turned to look at him in the dark trailer, as he'd explained it to be. "What's the plan?"

"I'm not entirely sure. We'll deal with that when the time comes you're recovered from your wounds. But for now," he said, pushing up from the cot and turning to regard her as well, "it would be best if you pretended not to know any of us."

"…that whole 'Margaret-doesn't-like-you-right-now' thing?" Lexi guessed with a smile, and Law nodded.

"Yes. I'd rather her not know that we're acquainted."

"What, you're ashamed of me?" Lexi teased, grinning at his raised brow with amusement.

"Hardly. Shachi, Penguin, and I haven't been here long either, you know. We don't have much of an influence anyways, and seeing as I'm not on good terms with Margaret…" He trailed off, the implications rather obvious. For as much as Lexi didn't believe anything truly dreadful would happen should this woman know that Lexi was friends with the rowdy bunch, the brunette still trusted Law enough to know that he had more knowledge of the situation than her, meaning he didn't feel it was safe.

To that, Lexi sighed again, closing her eyes as she stretched her neck slowly. "Alright, even though I don't get why, I'll feign ignorance for awhile. You'll have to tell Penguin and Shachi to cool it when they first see me. I know how rowdy they can get."

"They already know." Law assured.

"Great…" She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "At least that bastard Damien is dead though. That makes one less bastard prowling around out there…" She trailed off, seeing the confusion plainly written on Law's features.

"Who's Damien?" He questioned. She frowned, shrugging offhandedly as she gestured to the forest beyond the camp.

"The guy that was chasing me, him and his buddies. I assume you guys either killed him or something if you brought me back here…right?" That confidence and relaxed posture disappeared as Law slowly shook his head. She tensed up, and squinted into the darkness. "Oh god…you didn't find him, did you?"

"The scavenger team said you were alone when they found you. There was no one around."

"Fuck…he's still out there, then. And his group…They could still find me." She came to realize, fear etching her face as the realization that her problems really hadn't vanished like she thought began to rise. Before she could say anything more, her stomach rumbled loudly and most embarrassingly. Blushing, she moved her hands to cover her stomach in a futile attempt to mask the sound, but Law had still heard it.

"There's no use worrying about this Damien guy at the moment, since you're safe in the camp. Though, for right now, I'll see if I can find something for you to eat. It looks like you haven't eaten for awhile." He chuckled, moving to the door of the trailer with quiet steps. She watched him go, still feeling the fear and panic from finding out Damien hadn't, in fact, been killed, but her hunger and immense thirst came first. Small steps, one thing at a time, she'd figure it out eventually.

* * *

 

That following morning, Law informed Margaret that the 'patient' had awoken. She'd been in a hurry to speak to the brunette, and her furious feet brought her over to the infirmary trailer. The door opened with a creak, and Margaret found the young woman sitting on the cot, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, the chain of her collar dangling down to the floor from underneath the blanket. Eyes wide, hair a mess, skin pale, with a fearful gaze as she looked over at her.

It wasn't hard to imagine that this woman had been through some sort of hell. The only question was what, and whom had done all of this to her.

"Hi there…" Margaret greeted softly, smiling warmly to try not to scare the brunette. Behind her, Margaret heard Law enter the trailer and close the door behind her then sit on the nearest seat.

The woman stared at her with suspicion, never breaking eye contact except to blink. Law silently commended Lexi's ability to act as if she were terrified of her life, waking up in a strange place with no memory of how she got there. Though, he suspected half of it wasn't pretending.

Margaret only stared for a moment, struck silent by the brunette on the cot. Her expression was a bit unsettling, considering the woman's appearance. Margaret couldn't help but think she was staring death in the face.

"Uh…my name's Margaret, I'm the leader of this camp. We call it Woodsfield." She continued, but wasn't surprised when she still remained silent. "What's your name?"

"…" Her only response was a blank stare, but she flicked her eyes around the trailer, as if looking for a way out. Margaret wasn't surprised. She'd be doing the same thing if in her shoes. However, there was no danger here, and she needed the woman to know that.

"Hey." Margaret said, gaining the brunette's attention once more. "We're not going to hurt you here. Whoever had you before, they aren't here, probably miles away, or dead for all we know. You're safe here."

Still, nothing. But Margaret was determined to get her to talk to her, so she took a few steps closer, stopping when the brunette shrunk away a bit out of fear. "Honest to God, no one is going to lay a hand on you. And we'll see about getting that collar off of you, doesn't that sound good?"

Law watched on with admiration as Lexi nodded mutely, looking down at the ground as a scared and submissive victim would. She was certainly playing the part well. Unknown to the leader of the camp, Lexi had already had all the time she needed to adjust to the current situation.

Margaret nodded as well, reflective the brunette's actions to try bonding with her if she could. "Yeah, we'll take that collar off and get you into some proper clothes too. But first, I'd like to know your name. There's no harm in me knowing, is there?"

"…" The brunette paused, glancing back and forth between Margaret and Law, but she made sure there was no indication that she recognized him in the slightest. Good, just as he wanted. "…Lexi…" She whispered, as if even saying it aloud were putting her in danger.

"Lexi…that's a lovely name." Margaret complimented, placing her hands on her hips in a motherly fashion. "Well, Lexi, I'm going to go grab you some warmer clothes, and some food and water, since you look like you could use them."

Law watched her nod obediently, not having to fake the enthusiasm at the thought of food. Despite the few small items he'd been able to find for her just a few hours before, no one was ever truly satisfied hunger-wise.

"I'll be right back. Just hang tight with Law, here." She gestured to the man in question, and Lexi pretended to send a fearful glance in his direction, as if unsure with being left alone with him. "Don't you worry, none of us are going to lay a hand on you, like I said."

Reluctantly, Lexi nodded, showing her understanding. Margaret smiled again before leaving the trailer, going off to find the clothing and provisions as promised. As soon as the woman was gone, Lexi visibly relaxed in her place, slouching into the cot she sat on. Law couldn't help his chuckle, and Lexi joined in, amused that they'd duped the leader of the camp so easily.


	21. Play Your Part

The very first priority after Lexi's awakening was figuring out how the hell to get her collar off of her neck. Had they access to power tools, not to mention electricity of any kind, it wouldn't have been as difficult a problem to solve. However, without any heavy equipment at their disposal, they had to resort to the simple tools they had available: hammers, nails, wrenches, screwdrivers, handsaws, files, and assorted pliers, none of which were too suitable for the job.

Margaret suggested they have the construction team try their best at wrenching the thing off, seeing as they had the best equipment available, to which Lexi maintained that silent fear at being approached by any of the members of the camp. Realistically, she also didn't enjoy the thought of having sharp tools right beside her exposed neck…and body, for that matter. Penguin and Shachi she didn't feel too uncomfortable wearing her bikini around, but the other two were strangers and she didn't know what kind of people they were. The shirt Margaret tried giving her wouldn't fit over the collar edge, so they had to remove it first. Damn.

The best compromise they could figure out was for Lexi to hold the blanket around her to cover her as best they could, but leaving her shoulder and head exposed so they could try cutting away at the metal. So saying, Lexi found herself sat on the grass in the space between two of the trailers at the back of the camp with four men hovering around her holding various tools and instruments.

Law stood a few feet away, leaning on the nearest wall, just in case anything went wrong and the brunette got injured in any way. He trusted the team not to recklessly go at the task at hand, but accidents could always happen.

"Hmm…nothing too sharp and jagged, or we might slip and accidentally cut her neck." Alejandro commented, inspecting their tools for the best one for the job. It seemed most of them didn't fit the bill, because he removed several from the pile and placed them behind him.

Penguin and Shachi were doing the same, testing metal files against the collar to see how well it would go through. Hands kept grabbing, pulling, and holding the metal collar in place, and Lexi winced at the grating sound of metal right next to her ear. She said nothing though, too terrified of moving her head too much and being stabbed in the neck by a saw or blade.

"Excuse me, miss." Terence said, tapping her on the shoulder lightly. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, trying not to move too much. "Is there any way we could lift part of the blanket up behind the collar? It might protect your neck if one of our tools were to accidentally slip."

Lexi thought about it a moment, looking down at the blanket in silence and moving a corner up as much as she was willing to allow without the men seeing too much of her chest. They helped her tuck the edge of it between her neck and the metal, giving her a small but more comforting amount of protection while they worked.

"Alright, Alejandro? Hold that side in place so it doesn't move. We're gonna try working on this side." Shachi instructed. Lexi felt the right side of the collar stay firmly in place, and the left side began to shift up and down as they began grating the top edge of the metal. It was loud and shrieked to a painful degree as the metal file scraped against the metal collar, and she closed her eyes instinctively in an effort to lessen the noise.

"Easy there, I think it's working a little." Penguin reassured in a low voice, continuing to file away at the collar. Lexi swallowed thickly, opening her eyes into slits to stare off directly in front of her. Law stood in view, arms crossed as he casually leaned on the trailer. He caught her eyes and gave a reassuring grin, hoping that his confidence in his friends somehow translated to her. She responded with a tiny smile, appreciative of his silent gesture.

For several minutes the men filed and filed in an effort to cut through, but with a sigh, Penguin sat back on his haunches and stopped filing. "Nah, it won't go past that point. The teeth aren't deep enough to get any further."

"Don't we have a sharper file lying around?" Terence questioned, scratching his head as he inspected the work so far. Lexi couldn't see anything, feeling strange having all of them look intensely at her neck.

"Um…there might be one in the storage box, but we grabbed pretty much everything we found." Alejandro answered with a shrug. "Unless it was misplaced I doubt there is one."

"Hey wait…" Terence paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully and readjusting his glasses. "I helped Marve with some of the outer wall edges being too sharp a few days ago. The guards would cut their arms as they passed by sometimes. I might have left the file on top of one of the trailers."

"I'll go see if any of the guards have seen it." Shachi volunteered, standing from the grass and running off to find Marve. The men watched him leave before looking back at their tools and Lexi.

"Don't worry, we'll get that thing off you one way or another." Penguin promised with a smile. Alejandro and Terence both nodded in agreement, and Lexi smiled nervously back, still playing up the terrified lone survivor who had no idea who these people were or where she was.

* * *

 

It took most of the day, in addition to the four men changing off taking turns filing away at the collar. They'd been able to find a sharper file, which had fallen between the gaps of two of the trailers. With the deeper-toothed file, they were able to cut deeper into the collar, though not all the way through. The sides kept getting caught in the middle of the metal, and was difficult to push further down past a certain point.

The boys had the brilliant idea of trying the handsaw down the rest of the way, now that they had a guide to go from, but Lexi wasn't too sure about that. They definitely tried, but the angle of the metal, and with it being so close to her neck, they didn't have the proper room to fully utilize the saw, and so they moved onto something else.

Law still stood nearby, watching them try figuring out how to cut further than halfway. Lexi stole glances at him occasionally if only to reassure herself that someone was there to help her if they did unintentionally stab into her neck. His calm exterior proved to keep herself calm through most of the ordeal. Something about him being there just settled some of her nerves.

Finally, they figured out that filing away at the edges to widen the space they'd created was the best, albeit the slowest, method of getting the thing off. Once the space was widened enough to fit, they made it through the other half of the collar without much problem, granted they filed away the sides as they went to make more room.

It was with much appreciation that Lexi felt the file cut through the last sliver at the bottom of the collar, and the boys pried at each side of the collar to widen the gap so she could pull her neck free of the metal cuff.

"Almost, just a little more." Terence gruffed, pulling with Alejandro and the others to widen the gap they'd made. The metal didn't bend easily, but with the combined strength of four men, it slowly gave way, centimeter by centimeter.

"Come on!" Shachi cried in frustration, putting as much effort as he could into pulling. It bent a tiny amount more away from each other, and Lexi felt along the sides to see how far apart it was. It was close, but she might be able to squeeze through it. The edges of the metal scraped her neck and left red marks but all she cared about was that the damn thing was off, never to be put back on her neck again.

Immediately, her hands went to rub at her now exposed neck, feeling strangely yet comfortingly empty without the metal surrounding it all the time. An ecstatic laugh escaped her mouth as she reveled in the feeling of freedom. The construction team gathered their tools and took a few steps back, allowing her the time and space to enjoy her newfound freedom. She smiled in relief, looking up to the men who'd spent their day helping her.

"Thank you…" She whispered in genuine happiness. They nodded with smiles, before heading off to go back to whatever jobs were waiting for them. Penguin and Shachi looked like they wanted to stick around, but Law shook his head, knowing that being too familiar with her may draw suspicion.

"Come on, let's get you into those clothes Margaret got for you."

* * *

 

Lexi sat crossed-legged on the medical cot, outfitted for the first time in over a month in pants and a real shirt. Law had also found one of Shachi's hoodies from his bag, giving her extra warmth and comfort. She nuzzled into it, thankful that it shielded most of her body, as it was slightly too surreal, almost. She kept moving around, suddenly not so used to having the feel of cloth over most of her skin. It itched just to wear, her skin not quite used to being covered in material all the time, but she didn't mind. The feeling of modesty and privacy it afforded her were more than worth the small discomfort.

Tara, the redheaded nurse that worked with Law, as she'd proudly proclaimed when they'd first met, had been keeping her company the last hour or so while Law went to get his dinner. It was nice to hold a conversation with someone who hadn't given up any chance at escape or who thought that life was no longer worth living. So, even though it was awkward and largely one-sided, Lexi enjoyed making small conversation to pass the time.

"You've really had that collar on for like, a month?" Tara interrupted her thoughts harshly.

Lexi nodded, not really too keen on talking about the subject. Sure, it was great to talk to someone, but when the conversation kept revolving back around to her time with Damien's group, it was quickly losing it's appeal. Though, Tara didn't seem to quite get that message, continuing on without realizing Lexi's discomfort.

Tara was nice enough, she just didn't seem to realize how annoying her forwardness and bluntness could be.

"Did they ever let you take it off? How did you survive? Oh, how many of you were there? How did you escape? Was it difficult to sleep while you were there?"

"Uh…" The brunette started, leaning further into the side of the trailer in an effort to maybe shrink out of existence and not answer the questions. Tara's pushiness wasn't really prompting her to talk about the subjects. Lexi ended up just shrugging away like it didn't matter. "Yeah, I guess."

Tara didn't seem to notice that the reply hadn't answered all of the questions asked, and she just kept going with the constant questions, one after another, with Lexi giving vague and unhelpful answers most of the time. The prying was getting a bit bothersome, but Lexi understood her curiosity. Not much happened gossip-wise anymore. Ladies had to get their topics of discussion from somewhere. That didn't mean she was willing to be the hot topic between the women of the camp.

Thankfully, Law returned soon after, giving Lexi a break from the redhead for about an hour or so. Tara stood and left the trailer to get her own food, leaving Law and Lexi alone together again. He carried a small plate of food with him, no doubt intended for her.

"How's your neck?" Law asked, inspecting the slight redness to her skin where the metal had scraped across it. She rubbed the skin at the mention of it.

"Better. Hell of a lot better now that the damn thing's off. A weight has been lifted. Literally." Lexi chuckled, accepting the small plate of crackers and an apple. She raised a brow at the fruit, pointedly giving Law an expression of doubt. "Where'd this come from?"

"Woodsfield has a garden. It produces the majority of the food we eat here." He explained, grinning as the doubt turned to surprise and the evident appreciation of the food as she took a large bite from the apple. "Sometimes, if we're lucky, the hunters find a deer or other game animal, but we haven't seen one for awhile, so it's mostly fruit and vegetables, plus whatever canned stuff we find while scavenging."

"Mmm." She hummed her delight, chewing absently at the fruit. "This ain't bad. God, I haven't eaten real food like this in…a helluva long time." She admitted, shaking her head slowly back and forth as she savored the flavor. The juice alone was enough to figuratively take her breath away. Food in the zombie apocalypse was sparse and dry. The real juice of a genuine apple was enough to kill for.

Law regarded her for a moment, before going to sit on the nearest chair, facing her with his legs crossed at the knees. "I take it you met Tara?" He began with a grin. Lexi rolled her eyes dramatically, mouth too occupied with eating her small meal to say anything, and the doctor chuckled. "Yes, she tends to have that affect."

"I couldn't tell if I was a part of the conversation or not." The brunette joked, wiping the back of her mouth with the hoodie sleeve, then, realizing what she was doing a bit too late, paused with a glance at the fabric. "Oh, whoops. I forgot this isn't mine."

Law waved the concern away. "He won't mind. Hell, the thing's never been washed, what difference does a little spit make?"

"True." She shot back with a smile and a laugh, finishing her meal with a few bites of the last cracker on the plate. The vibration from her laughing made the wound in her side ache, and she hissed in pain.

"Careful, don't move around too much." Law advised, seeing her reaction to the pain in her side. She nodded silently, pressing a gentle hand to her own torso in an effort to dull the sensation.

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments, nothing having to be said to enjoy the other's company. Lexi felt much more at ease about her situation knowing that Law, Shachi, and Penguin were there. At least she had allies, as unexpected as they may be. Had they not been there, Lexi was sure she would've been looking for an escape by now. But…maybe she'd try to stay as long as she could. If only to see them a little bit longer.

Law himself was more at ease than he had been in the past two weeks of living in the camp. For the time being, he could pretend that there wasn't a time limit to Lexi staying at the camp. For now, he could keep her in the infirmary under the guise of not being healthy, and that was enough for him. But, before her time was up, Law was determined to make Margaret see how valuable Lexi was to the group. He'd make her see reason, or…

Well, he wasn't sure what.

They'd sat there in silence a while, neither feeling the need to fill the void, before Lexi eventually tilted her head with a rueful smile, looking away nervously. There was still that unspoken topic hanging between them, and she'd expected him to at least bring it up by now. She took a breath, almost expecting the worst. "You're…not gonna ask?"

She cautioned a glance up at him, but he wasn't angry or threatening. Not that she'd expected him to be, but she was surprised he hadn't at least asked the same questions everyone else had. He only shrugged, crossing his arms and looking away a moment. Maybe he felt for her, or maybe he was just uncomfortable at the topic. She wasn't sure.

"Figured you didn't want to talk about it."

"Well..yeah…I was just surprised is all. I know how cautious you are about things. I thought you'd be one of the first people asking me, heh." She laughed without humor and looked away again.

"It's not that I don't care…I do." He responded, looking back at her with concern. "But if you've avoided the question from everyone else, I assumed I'd be no different."

"Yeah…I guess so." She agreed, sighing in relief. Granted, Lexi would have been immensely more inclined to lay out her heart and soul had Law asked and pressed the issue. Out of everyone alive today in the world, there wasn't anyone she trusted more than him, even if she only knew him to a small degree. Actions spoke louder than words, and Law's portrayed him as a very…honorable man. Someone who protected those he cared for and was indebted to, though she did wonder which of those categories she most fit into in his perspective.

It was a major comfort to know Law understood. The fact that she didn't have to explain herself…that was much more than what she could ask for. "I'm just not ready to talk about it yet." She finally said.

"That's fine. When you are, then you can tell me, if you'd like." He sent her a reassuring smile. Despite not saying anything too personal, Lexi still felt rather vulnerable in that moment, but not unsafe or scared. The sensation was strange to describe other than…her mind and soul lay bare, if only for a moment, in his presence.

"Thank you…"

"However," he started, catching her attention again, "if these guys are still out there somewhere, they're probably still looking for you." He stated softly, as if testing the waters.

Lexi had a feeling she knew where he was taking the conversation, and didn't say anything to stop him.

"Can you tell me anything that might help protect the camp? We may also be in danger, simply by having you here."

She nodded. They'd helped her this far, they deserved to know at least a small portion of the story, but not all of it. "Damien's group…they don't really have a name. Just sort of refer to themselves as 'the group.'" Lexi air-quoted. "In total there's…maybe 50 or 60 of them? The party that was following me couldn't have had more than ten men. They were just scouts.

"Even just the ten that were following me are all armed. All of them carry weapons, pretty much at all times. I don't think I've ever seen them without a gun or a knife."

Law nodded in understand, alarmed that a group who was apparently hostile had so many to their numbers. "Anything else?"

Lexi thought about it for a moment, eyes flicking back and forth as she tried to remember if there was anything she was missing. "Well, other than the fact that they're all armed, they are extremely dangerous. Unless Damien takes an interest in something or someone, they usually kill men on sight."

"And the women?" He prompted, knowing as soon as he'd said it that he was treading the fine line between what she was willing to say and what was saying too much for her comfort.

"…they keep for themselves." Was all she supplied, unwilling to look at him. Law nodded, not pressing any further. That was about as much as they could have expected from her. They knew numbers. They knew they were armed. Very important information to have.

The heavy moment passing, Lexi looked out the small window of the trailer and surveyed the camp with interest. There were a lot of questions she had yet to ask, and Law's brief explanation of the situation when she'd first woken up hadn't filled in all the gaps. Besides, maybe this was an opportunity to get to know them a bit better, and redirect the attention from her to something else.

"So, how'd you guys end up here anyway? I though you wanted to go it alone."

"Ah, about that…" He started, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, is it an embarrassing story?" She smirked as she leaned forwards on her arms, finding a chance to tease him. "I hope it is."

"Hmph." He raised a brow incredulously at her, shaking his head a negative. "Nothing so interesting. It was about 2…maybe 3 weeks ago. We were out of food, starving, and we wandered into this town about a half hour that way." Law pointed in the general direction of the town, and Lexi nodded her understanding. "There were these two men shouting to another survivor to come with them to their camp. Said they had food and water, and a place to stay."

"And you just believed them?" Lexi raised a brow, thinking that such behavior was very unlike Law's normally cautious and untrusting personality. "Just like that?"

"Of course not, but it's not like we had a lot of options at the time." He shrugged. "Anyways, we followed them back here to the camp, and Margaret let us in. Gave us a meal and a place to sleep for the night. We had to prove we could be useful to the camp, but the test was simple enough."

"I guess…but what made you stay?"

"…" Law stayed quiet a moment, and Lexi saw the unmasked shame in his eyes, even as he looked away from her. "It wasn't what I wanted. Shachi and Penguin decided they wanted to stay here, I was adamant we move on. That…didn't go over very well."

"Oh…I see. What happened?" She cocked her head to the side, invested in what he had to say.

Law shrugged, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable. "I came to realize that they have as much a say in what we do or where we go as I. So I stayed, if only for their sake. Besides, it was that or leave them for good."

Lexi paused after he explained, taking in what he'd said. She could only imagine a man like Law having to swallow his pride, or choose to do something so against what his gut was telling him it filled him with apprehension. Not something she'd expected, but it only served to increase the amount of respect she had for him.

"You know, I think you made the right choice." She encouraged, sending him a small smile when he looked over at her. "Choosing family over what you think is right…that takes a lot of courage. It's not something you see very often anymore."

"Heh…maybe." He half-heartedly agreed, deciding to move on from that topic of discussion. He'd rather not dwell on his past mistakes for too much longer. "That's how it went, why we're still here. Not too exciting a tale, huh?"

"Damn. I was hoping there'd be more drama and suspense. Maybe a badass fight against hordes and hordes of zombies, or saving some damsel in distress." Lexi laughed, causing Law to roll his eyes. It was ridiculous how easy it was talking to the brunette. Had their conversations always come this naturally? Admittedly, there were a limited number of conversations they'd ever had with each other. It was difficult to remember, what with them being months and months apart from one another.

Though, they talked now as if no time had passed at all. How strange…but not in a negative way. He grinned with mirth.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Make sure the next one is filled with action and…" The sound of the trailer door opening startled the both of them, and they realized that Tara was returning from her dinner. Just as quickly as she'd relaxed in Law's presence before, Lexi tensed up and returned to her act of being the scared-yet-slowly-accepting refugee who was recovery from her wound. "…I…just…don't want to talk about it…ok?" She finished her sentence in a strained croak, wrapping her arms around her knees and bringing them up to her chest.

Law sighed, feigning annoyance and rubbing at his face in 'frustration.' In truth, he had to hide the grin that threatened to show through as Tara approached the both of them. "Look…Lexi…" He paused before using her name, as if he had trouble remembering it. "At some point you'll have to tell us. The sooner we can figure out what happened to you, the better we can protect you. Understand?"

"What going on?" Tara inquired with curiosity. She noticed Lexi in a very defensive position, and Law agitated about something.

The doctor shook his head and stood, pretended to walk away to cool off, gesturing vaguely behind him in Lexi's direction. "This woman is being…difficult. She won't tell me how she got shot or by whom. All she'll say is there were about ten men following her."

Tara turned to Lexi, who only glared at the ground with tears in her eyes. Of course, they weren't real, but the redhead didn't know that. "I said I don't want to talk about it…" The brunette reiterated in an angry and upset tone. "Please…that's all I'll say…"

"Alright, you don't have to tell us anything else right now. Let's all just…calm down." Tara tried to lay a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder but Lexi shied away, pressing herself further into the side of the trailer. "Sorry…sorry." Tara backed away and followed after Law, who'd disappeared behind the curtain to the medication room.

"Why do you keep pressing her about it? She's crying!" The young woman whispered harshly, trying to keep her voice low enough so Lexi wouldn't hear.

"I'd think the safety of the camp is a bit more important than some woman's emotional stability." Law bit back with a glare, rounding in place to point back into the main infirmary room where Lexi was sitting. "Whoever gave her that wound can't be too far away, and I'm willing to bet they're still looking. Who's to say they won't show up here and demand to have her back, hmm?"

"Well…"

"And unless we know exactly who they are, how many they are, and possibly  _where_  they are, how are we supposed to do anything in the event that they do? The ten men she mentioned could have been a small search party. There could be dozens more of them for all we know."

"…" Her silence was enough of an answer to his question, and he nodded in conclusion to his own statements.

"Exactly."

Feeling like he'd played the part and showed the appropriate amount of concern for the situation, he sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "Maybe you can get more out of her, but she's testing my patience." And with that Law exited the room and walked past Lexi with a grin only she could see. Lexi gave him a secret thumbs up as he passed, never breaking character.


	22. Hostile Takeover

For a few days, Lexi remained in the infirmary to rest and recover her strength. Although, Law was thankfully overemphasizing just how severe her wounds were in an effort to extend the amount of time Margaret would be forced to let her stay. He didn't tell Lexi this, but he had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly what was going on. Technically, he'd be able to take the stitches from her gunshot wound out later that same day or possibly tomorrow, but he told her she still had another week to go. Margaret trusted his 'doctor's intuition,' but Lexi was medically trained as well. Granted, the brunette never brought up the fact he was lying, but she was smart enough to figure out what he was doing.

Tara seemed to pop in at random moments when she was supposed to be away at dinner or lunch, as if to be sure Law wasn't verbally abusing the poor woman. After that first time of seeing Lexi cry, the redhead didn't seem to trust him around his own patients. Huh. Maybe he'd overdone it the first time.

Margaret had visited the brunette a few times, asking questions when it seemed appropriate. She still seemed reluctant to press the issue further than what was necessary, as if fearing the brunette would break down and cry with the slightest provocation. After the first few days, both Law and Lexi agreed that it would be realistic if she began to tell bits and pieces of information as she slowly warmed up to the new camp, eventually gaining small amounts of trust in those helping her. Any pieces involving what actually happened to her there were omitted, which he understood, but she did give them some insight into who these people actually were.

The most important question was, where were they and how far away was their encampment? However, seeing as Lexi was brought away from where she'd escaped to while unconscious, there was no possible way for her to know where the hell she even was in relation to the other group's camp. Judging distance while running for your life normally was obviously a fairly low priority anyways. So, there was a big blank space in their knowledge of this obviously dangerous and hostile group, with no way of filling it in without intentionally scouting them out. Not to mention, doing so might cause more problems than simply leaving them alone. What a predicament.

Nonetheless, Margaret would always thank her for whatever information she could tell before the black-haired woman would leave, looking decidedly more frustrated and worried each time. Law knew Margaret wondered if they were in actual danger keeping Lexi here, allowing her to get back to full health. Just how serious were these people at finding her, and what lengths would they be willing to go to do so?

It was during one of those times when Margaret came to visit Lexi that Margaret sighed before leaving, gesturing for Law to follow her out. This was strange, since she'd taken a great effort in limiting their time spent in the same room since their little field trip. Something Law was not averse to, to be quite frank. Figuring it was a discussion of some importance, Law did so. Something was obviously on the camp leader's mind, and he'd be lying if he tried to deny his curiosity.

The metal door clanked shut behind him as he followed after her. Margaret led them between the gaps of the infirmary trailer and the one beside it, leaning against the metal wall with a frustrated and worried expression. They were vaguely shielded from view to most of the camp, though there were few people wandering about outside anyways. This time of day most were off doing their jobs to keep the camp fed and safe.

"I want the truth from you, nothing less." The black-haired woman suddenly blurted out, staring hard at the doctor with a look he couldn't quite read. Suspicion? Anger? No, neither of those. "Lexi. Is she trustworthy?"

Law frowned, struck for a moment that perhaps she'd somehow found out about their previous acquaintance. Had Shashi and Penguin let it slip? Or perhaps he'd let on that he knew more than he was letting on? Dammit. Making things worse hadn't been his intention at all.

In his hesitation, fearing that the lie had been seen through, Margaret must have taken his silence for confusion or another reason entirely, because she rubbed at her forehead and chuckled without humor. "I'm a bit reluctant about the woman, honestly. I mean, she looks innocent enough. A pretty face shows up at just the right time and saying the right things, but…who's actually that kind of person in this world anymore, you know? Maybe you were right this whole time. Maybe we can't trust people like we used to. I guess I have to thank you for making me see that, even begrudgingly…"

There was that small token of relief that swept through Law as he realized her question had not been borne of any suspicion on his part. That had been too close, and the flood of adrenaline at almost being found out began to wean. However, it was deflating to know that she was still set on not taking Lexi in at all. There went possibly convincing her to reverse her decision. The set jaw and little nod to herself made it clear to Law that she'd made up her mind and there was no turning back.

Seeing what her intention had been in her first line of questions, he visibly relaxed against the trailer and stuffed his hands in his pockets casually. "I haven't noticed any inconsistencies in her story so far. Nothing out of the ordinary for the situation, at least."

"Well, right. I pretty much believe that she was captured and escaped that group. _Someone_ put that collar on her, and I can't see why she'd try to deceive our camp for any reason by putting it on herself…unless…" Margaret bit her lip as she quietly left her sentence hanging vaguely with downcast eyes, searching the ground like it had all the answers to her concerns.

Law watched the leader a moment, wondering what sort of suspicions she may be placing on the recovering brunette inside the trailer. "You think she's a spy?"

"Woodsfield is otherwise impossible to lay siege against. We have weapons, sturdy walls, and plenty of places to lie in wait should they manage to get inside." Margaret glanced back at the infirmary trailer, as if seeing Lexi through the metal sheeting. "If they truly were set on attacking us, they'd lose lots of people going the conventional method. An inside agent could give them a shortcut inside."

The amount of paranoia that this other group had caused Margaret to begin feeling was surprising, honestly. He'd thought her the cool-headed, 'look at the situation rationally' kind of person. Not this…'don't trust a single soul and plot against your own people' sort of thinking. What was going on with her? Law shook his head, crossing his arms.

"Where did all this come from? Laying siege? That's a bit grandiose, don't you think?" For as paranoid and untrusting as Law was, even Margaret was sounding a bit extreme.

The camp leader sighed in frustration. "I'm normally not one to jump to conclusions, but with an aggressive group like that possibly right at our doorstep, I want to be prepared for anything. We can't afford to take chances anymore."

Law shook his head again, still not believing something quite so outlandish. They didn't even know if this group knew where they were. Margaret's theory had a lot riding on it, for as much sense as she was trying to make. Still, better to get back to the situation at hand. "I highly doubt she's a double agent."

Margaret raised an incredulous eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

He shrugged. "Think about the circumstances. The fact that the scavenging team found her unconscious in the woods a few miles away was rather lucky in and of itself. If they wanted to have her 'infiltrate' the camp, so to speak, they could've done so in a way where the chance of us finding her wasn't so low. There're a lot easier ways to infiltrate a camp like this."

"Maybe…" She nodded, still not looking all that convinced. "There's just something about the way she acts…like she's too familiar with…I don't know…I can't really explain it." These musings were punctuated by a few shakes of her head, as if she still couldn't understand it all. But Law merely shrugged, as if it wasn't of any concern.

"Who knows what she's seen up to this point? This may not be anything new to her."

"Which begs another question." Margaret pointed out. "Is she as innocent as she makes herself out to be? I mean, why exactly are these people looking for her?"

"…" Law cocked his head, thinking that the answer was rather obvious. She escaped. They wanted her back. Or dead, for defying their control. Was that so difficult to understand?

"I mean, she could have murdered people from their group and now she's on the run." She continued, gesturing around her to prove her point. "We don't know what she could have done before she got here. Maybe _she's_ the bad guy here and we don't even know it."

It was getting harder to feign ignorance about Lexi as Margaret continued on her tirade. For as little as Law actually knew about her…he knew Lexi. She wouldn't needlessly kill, nor would she readily side herself with people who abused women. The specifics of what they did to them were unclear, but Law had a sneaking suspicion. It wasn't that hard to imagine the horrors she may have witnessed. Or endured.

"We only know one side of the story. And she's obviously hiding things from us." Margaret seemed to be working herself up in this little witch hunt, trying to justify kicking her out early, but Law was quick to shut that shit down.

"I don't care if she caused the whole damn apocalypse to begin with. She's my patient, and I will see that she recovers to full strength."

"So you're completely ok with helping a possible murderer? Someone we know nothing about, and who could possibly be a danger to the camp? There are a lot of things we don't know right now." Margaret squinted warily, as if seeing him in a different light. Law stepped forward in anger, thinking that she was becoming a bit too hysterical for his liking. Things had gone too far.

"Just because the world has gone to shit doesn't mean I've lost my humanity, nor does it give _you_ the excuse to either. I took an _oath_ and as long as I'm a doctor, I _will_ uphold it."

Margaret silently brooded, no doubt thinking once again how much of an asshole he was. Law didn't care either way. Even if it wasn't Lexi that he was treating, his argument would not change. It was the entire reason he became a doctor to begin with, to help people indiscriminately and heal those back to full health again. If she didn't like it, she could find someone that actually gave a fuck.

"I guess…" She reluctantly agreed, seeing the logic in his thinking without really wanting to admit to it. Her eyes stared past him to the center of the camp, looking but seeing nothing, too occupied with her own thoughts. "Either way…how much longer does she have before we can send her off?"

Law stared at her another moment, just to make sure his point got across. "A week, I expect. The gunshot wound is healing slower than I'd hoped, seeing as we don't have the proper sterile environment and medication to speed up the process."

"…and there's nothing you can do to help that happen faster?"

"Unless you want me to take the stitches out early, and risk the wound opening again, which it assuredly would, then no."

"…" Margaret mulled this information over for awhile, finally nodding slowly and turning to leave with a sour expression. "Alright. I'll check back in a few days, just to see if she's improved. But," she said, pointing a finger at him and pausing in her next step, "if you think she's well enough before that week is up, you come straight to me. I don't want to waste more resources than I need to to keep her here, especially if she's putting us in danger."

He raised a brow but said nothing, and Margaret turned to head towards another part of the camp. The black-haired woman carved a path through the few people milling around the fire pit, which wasn't lit this early in the afternoon. The doctor watched the woman go, before returning to the trailer where his nurse and patient were waiting.

* * *

"Are we really just going to let Margaret kick Lexi out once she gets better?" Penguin questioned with a concerned expression of doubt. He shifted on the bed to find a more comfy spot, staring out the window to look at the camp. "I mean, after all we've been through it just…feels wrong."

"Definitely." Shachi chimed in, holding back a yawn.

"We've only met her a handful of times." Law countered, not actually disagreeing that she was warranted the courtesy of letting her stay, but simply wanted to state the fact out there. He tried blinking away his consciousness as he lay in bed, attempting to fall asleep yet again, but what had once only been occasional insomnia back in the day of the living now evolved into a nightly struggle to find sleep. This night was no different.

"Still, in that time, she's managed to save our asses a few times." Shachi jumped in with another good point, staring up at the ceiling in boredom from the other side of the trailer. The two others hadn't been able to find sleep either, even so late at night, and so they spent the time conversing quietly among themselves. Their conversation was interrupted by a guard walking slowly across the top of their trailer. Once it faded, they picked back up where they'd left off.

"Isn't there some way to convince Margaret to let her stay?"

Law let out a heavy sigh, but Penguin jumped in before he could respond. "Speaking of her, what the hell happened on that little trip you guys took? You never told us."

There was a moment of silence that hung between them, Law somewhat surprised that they'd asked that question. It had been nearly a week since then, and he hadn't thought much about it afterwards. He supposed he _had_ neglected to tell them the reasoning why. Nor did he really want to, per se.

"Yeah, what's up with that? Where'd you guys go?" Shachi supplied, turning over in his bed to see into Law's part of the trailer behind him. "You guys were gone a lot longer than I thought you'd be, too."

Law shrugged, not thinking much of it. "We went to see if I could help treat another survivor she knew about. Name was Zach. He was too sick to survive much longer though. Had to kill him." He summarized, conveniently glossing over the whole 'I-sort-of-fucked-our-camp-leader' part.

"Ah…that's awful." Penguin rubbed the back of his head. Before everything had pretty much gone to shit, there were a few times when Law would be unsuccessful in a surgery or operation, and they lost the patient. It always hit him pretty hard back then.

"Yeah." Law agreed with disinterest, not really wanting to talk about it. It wasn't his proudest moment, but it had needed to be done.

"Still, Margaret's seemed pretty pissy about all of this ever since then. Way to get her riled up." Penguin gave Law a pointed look, before chuckling.

"I wouldn't change what happened." He admitted, giving a shrug.

Shachi yawned heavily, covering his mouth with his hand to stifle the sound. "Well, maybe next time you can-"

_BANG! BANG!_

In an instant, all three of them were up on their feet, crouching low in the trailer at the sound of gunfire close by. The shots were followed by something hitting the ground heavily, then screaming, and then running feet. The shots continued, and Law's eyes widened, realizing that Damien's group must have found the camp. All in an instant, the safety the camp had provided up to this point was shattered. Shachi and Penguin must have felt it too, because they held a fear in their eyes Law hadn't seen for a long time. The very real threat that they could die today loomed over them.

Law ran over to his bag, desperately searching through it for anything that could possibly be used as a weapon, adrenaline pumping through his veins with each scream and gunshot outside. In the back of his mind, he blamed Margaret and her insistence that they hand over their weapons when entering the walls, knowing that he'd stand a much better chance at fighting with his sword in his hands. There was nothing remotely sharp or suitable to be wielded offensively in his bag, and he cursed under his breath, pausing when he heard the laugh of a man at the front of the camp.

"Residents of the camp, listen up!" The man shouted into the now-deafening silence. The gunshots had stopped, and the screaming had stopped. Whether that be because the shooting had ceased or because the people outside were all dead, Law couldn't quite tell.

"My name is Damien! I'm here because you all have something that belongs to me, and I don't take too kindly to having my things taken!" Damien continued, sounding pretty confident in himself. If so, all of the armed guards were probably already dead.

Swallowing past the hesitation, Law gestured for Shachi and Penguin to put their bags under the beds in the trailer, then get under them as well. It was a tight fit, but it would have to do. There were no other hiding spots that Law could see in their makeshift home. Damien continued to talk outside, and Law crept over to the window facing the inside of the camp to see what was happening. Thankfully the small curtain gave him enough cover not to be seen as he looked outwards.

"Once I get my property back, me and my men will be on our way!" Damien waltzed around the area next to the fire pit with an amused grin, one of about a dozen of his armed men holding Marve at gunpoint. One of them looked much younger than the rest, watching the group leader with wonder and awe. Law frowned, glancing back towards the camp guardsman. He looked roughed up at the very least, and Law wondered how they'd gotten past the main gate with him on lookout.

There was no one else in sight, but Law was willing to bet the rest of the residents were watching as well, and Margaret was most definitely listening at the very least. Law squinted to try to see this Damien guy a bit better. Brown, shaggy hair. Dirty and disheveled clothing. What looked to be a cigarette between his lips. All in all, he looked like a nasty piece of work.

The group leader continued to yell into the night, knowing he had an unseen audience. "I've been looking a long time to find her and see, the thing is…I don't like waiting. So the longer I have to wait," he implied, nodding to the man holding Marve hostage, "the more people will die."

The camp guard widened his eyes, but without warning or time to cry out Damien's man shot him point blank in the back of the head, splattering blood all over the place as the he slumped dead. It felt like there should have been someone audibly upset at the man's death, but the residents cowering in their homes did not budge for fear of their own death. Law watched as the man's blood spread across the grass. Damien stepped across it uncaringly, keeping his eyes on the trailers for something or someone in particular.

"Now, if your leader would be so kind as to step outside so we can have a little chat…" He intoned, cocking his head to the side when Margaret's trailer door opened, and the woman stepped out into the clearing. Holding her head high, she walked slowly over to where Damien and his men were standing.

* * *

 

"So, you are Damien." Margaret said stiffly, eyeing the large group of men with guns in both fear and disdain. They all looked just as awful as the woman had described them as. All armed, dirty from traveling, and smelly as hell. She resisted the urge to gag as their stink wafted in front of her nose. For the sake of the camp and herself, she forced her face into an expression of neutrality. "I've heard quite a lot about you."

"Hmm, hopefully all good." He chuckled, finding his joke funny. She did not. "Your name?" He asked, giving a wide grin, finding some sort of amusement in this whole situation. She supposed he could, given the advantage was all in his favor. Margaret tried not looking at the corpse of her most trustworthy guardsman, knowing she'd be tempted to puke if she did.

"Margaret." She responded.

"Well, Margaret, I'm here for a pretty little brunette who managed to run away some time back." The camp leader couldn't help but shiver at the condescending and cold eyes he flashed her underneath that amused facade. "And wouldn't you know it, my men managed to track her straight here. So, if you'd be so kind as to bring her out here, I'll happily be on my way."

Margaret didn't like this guy one bit, but the threat of having more of her people killed for the sake of a woman she didn't even remotely trust was a bit ridiculous, and made her decision all the easier to make. For as much as she hated Damien, cooperating was her only option at this point. She crossed her arms, forcing down the hint of guilt at what she was about to say. It was better this way. For the good of the camp. "You'll leave once you have her?"

"Of course! Cross my heart." He spread his arms a little wider dramatically, as if trying to appease her hostility.

Margaret chewed at her bottom lip, wondering why she was hesitating so much. Damien seemed to notice it, because he stalked a pace closer, narrowing his eyes.

"Need I remind you," came his low and dark tone, "that I don't like waiting."

She swallowed thickly, visibly displaying her fear, and she nodded, pointing behind her towards the infirmary where the woman had stayed for the time she'd been there. "She's in there. Just take her and go. I don't want anyone else to die."

Damien gave a wide smile, gesturing to the trailer for his men to search. Two of them branched off and went in search of the woman, while the leader simply gave Margaret a cold stare. "Good choice."

* * *

 

Damien crossed his arms and cocked his hip, grinning in Margaret's face as if this were all some cruel joke. Margaret, Law had to admit, was holding it together pretty well in the face of the man who was threatening to kill them all. Though, based on what Damien had said thus far, Law had an inkling as to what conversation the two leaders were in the middle of discussing.

Just as he'd predicted, after several minutes of stiff discussion, Margaret pointed behind her towards the infirmary, gesturing nonchalantly, as if whatever she'd agreed to didn't matter anyways. Law narrowed his eyes and he almost couldn't hold back the growl of anger that threatened to leave his lips. Shachi and Penguin must have been watching him from their positions under the beds, because he could hear them shifting slightly.

"What's going on?" Penguin muttered from the floor, and Law shook his head, eyeing two of the ten men walking towards the infirmary quickly.

"Margaret's giving Lexi up to save the camp."

"Shit…" Shachi added, sounding just as pissed and confused as Law was.

He watched helplessly as they made their way to the infirmary to where Lexi was still staying. No doubt, she knew exactly who had arrived to the camp. However, there was no way she'd have an escape route out of the trailer. Law knew that one like the back of his hand, and besides the small window above the cot, there really wasn't any other feasible way outside. She was effectively trapped.

There was a sinking feeling in his gut as he watched Lexi being dragged by her hair, kicking and screaming, out of the infirmary trailer with two large guns being shoved in her face. Her cries were incoherent, more for the sake of crying out than saying anything in particular. The brunette was carelessly dragged across the grass towards Damien, before being roughly shoved to the ground and faced with the barrels of the guns again, told not to move or she'd be shot.

The younger boy with the group of men stepped forwards, watching Lexi with a sickening gleam in his eyes that Law didn't like. Law scowled, watching as the boy crouched beside her and roughly yanked at her head, forcing her head up to look at him. He smiled and said something to her, and she tried pulling away desperately. Her struggling only served to make another man angry, and he brutally kicked her in the side to make her stop. She cried out in pain, and Law clenched his fist in anger.

Damien stared from his position in front of Margaret, watching in satisfaction at the way Lexi was being treated, before laughing with a smile. He said a few things Law couldn't hear at this distance. Margaret frowned, taking a step back as Damien reached from something on his belt. Law's eyes widened, not quite prepared for the gunshot that came from the handgun Damien had brought to her head, piercing her brain and dropping her dead onto the ground. Margaret's blood splattered over him and his clothes.

"You know what? I've changed my mind. I'll be taking over this camp!" Damien shouted into the air, walking a bit further into the camp. "And my first decree is that everyone get out here in the open so I can see you!"

Law narrowed his eyes. None of the trailer doors opened at first, until one, then two, slowly cracked open and the occupants peered out in fright. Damien gestured for them to continue, and before long, most of the trailers were being opened to reveal the residents of the camp. Law refused to move, staring at the scene as everyone stood themselves haphazardly on the grass.

Shachi and Penguin wondered what Law was thinking, but seeing as he hadn't moved from his spot at the window, and he hadn't instructed them to get out from under the beds, they were willing to bet that he wasn't feeling inclined to obey Damien's order to come outside.

"Any stragglers we find inside will be shot!" Damien yelled out, gesturing for a few of his men to start searching the trailers.

Law's eyes widened, and he quickly moved away form the window, grabbing his own bag and zipping it closed, shoving it unceremoniously under the bed. The gap between the bed and the floor wasn't much, and Law could only barely fit underneath, but he managed to squeeze himself in beside his bag just enough to breathe without fear of suffocating. His eyes looked over to see Shachi and Penguin in much the same predicament, squeezed tightly underneath their cots in the other room. Law sent a silent prayer that this would work.

Before long, the door to their trailer was kicked in, and a pair of black boots tromped their way inside, pausing halfway into the main room to search the inside. They travelled further in, and Law held his breath as they neared the bed he was under. The man turned, shoving aside the comforter on his bed and opening drawers for anything or anyone. He did a thorough sweep of the room, looking on both sides of the bed, before heading back into the room where Shachi and Penguin were hidden.

The sound of cupboards and drawers being thrown open, as well as a stray gunshot or two as other residents hiding were found, were the only things Law registered in that moment, staring fearfully at the boots that made their way through the trailer. The seconds felt like hours, until whoever the man was had satisfactorily searched the trailer to his standards, and left with a slam of the door.

None of them moved from beneath the beds, even as Damien started speaking again. Law wanted to move and go back to the window to know what was happening, but it was too risky at this point.

"Great! What a lovely bunch we've got here." He laughed, clapping his hands together. "Alright, let's have the men stand over here, and the women over here."

Several minutes went by, and Law waited with bated breath for something to happen, anything to happen. The silence was killing him, especially not knowing what was going on. This was all so frustrating. Then suddenly, his conversation with Lexi popped into his head and he stiffened at the realization.

_Unless Damien takes an interest in something or someone, they usually kill men on sight._

Just as the memory flooding his mind, he heard the first gunshots, and the beginnings of the screams. A barrage of gunfire, coupled with the shouts of death, and ones of fear from more feminine voices, overtook any other thoughts Law would have had. He shut his eyes, not having to watch to know what was going on.

The gunshots eventually died down, and all that remained was the wails of the women who had been forced to witness their male counterparts gunned down before their eyes. Law tried to block out the noise, but it was so desperate, he couldn't help but listen in morbid fascination.

"Alright, ladies, off with those clothes." The cries picked up in volume and fear, and Damien only laughed. Shachi or Penguin gasped in shock, and Law simply glared into the darkness of their trailer. Lexi's description of Damien, an awful man who mistreated women, was a severe understatement. "It's either that, or end up just like your friends here."

The sound of shuffling clothing began, and Law could only imagine the humiliation from the women. Perhaps it was better that he wasn't looking after all. The period of inactivity and silence was longer than before, until Damien instructed his men to 'take their pick.' Several of the women screamed, begging to be let go, but their cries were never stifled or answered.

"Kill the rest." Damien said some time later, and the gunshots sounded for the last time that night. And then, a heavy silence so thick Law felt like his breathing was being shouted. His heart beat slowly in his chest, for fear of being heard.

"Take the survivors and let's head back. Make sure the ropes are tight. We don't want anymore escapes." Damien said, and the women began crying again. The sounds of their fear began to sound distant, smaller, less distinguished, until Law could no longer hear them at all, indicating the group had finally left the camp.

* * *

 

For an unknown amount of time, Law did not move from his spot underneath the bed. The shock of what had happened still had yet to sink in, and so the nerves on his fingers and hands felt buzzed and over-sensitized as he slowly made his way out from under his hiding spot. It was difficult to shimmy his way out from underneath, but it was manageable. Shachi and Penguin followed suit a few moments later, shakily rising to their feet. They all avoided looking out the window, afraid of what they would find.

Stunned into silence, the three of them simply stood there, staring at each other, silently wondering how it was they survived and everyone else did not. A slew of emotions danced across their eyes. Should they be relieved that they'd survived? Angry that the women had been taken? Despair at the amount of death surely waiting for them outside? All of those at once plus more, how could they possibly voice that aloud?

How these circumstances had come to be felt almost surreal. Wordlessly, Law turned and retrieved his bag of things, slinging it over his shoulders comfortably. The others did the same, before Law started them towards the door to the trailer, laying his hand hesitantly on the knob. Law stared at the door before closing his eyes to brace himself for the sight he was about to behold. And then he turned the knob and stepped outside, his two friends in tow.


	23. Say Your Prayers

So much death. So much _needless_ death.

Law stepped onto the grass, eyes glued to the countless piles of bodies, both clothed and naked, covered in the ever-growing puddles of blood surrounding them. Half of the open clearing where most of the residents would relax for dinner or simply to converse between each other, was stained red with their dark red blood. Flies swarmed on and over the corpses, buzzing annoyingly about what was once the people who'd been around them over the past month.

Behind him, Shachi and Penguin reluctantly left the trailer, stopping at the gruesome sight awaiting them. One of them gagged at the pungent, metallic scent of blood that permeated the very air, but Law could not find it in himself to tear his eyes away from the bullet holes riddling the sides of the nearest trailers, or the way some of the corpse's eyes were still open, staring into the sky as if they were only stargazing.

The moon's light was the only thing, besides the low-dying fire, to illuminate the scene, the rest of the forest covered in darkness. The eerie stillness of the camp was unsettling, and Law's squelching footsteps sounded ten times louder in his ears than what they probably were. The silence was so deafening, it felt disrespectful to make any noise at all. The ground beneath his feet sunk slightly from all the wetness, and he wandered over to the first pile of corpses.

Alejandro and Terence from the construction team. Shachi and Penguin gasped at the sight of their friends dead, but Law moved on to the next person, then the next, eyes searching the faces for anyone who may still be alive. His hopes were dying on anyone living through the horror that took place here, seeing no fluttering eyelids or shuttered breathing of any kind from the bodies laying there.

Pile after pile Law searched, finding no survivors. It didn't surprise him that much to realize that they were the only ones to live. The world was just cruel like that. Or kind, depending on how you looked at it, especially considering he hadn't lost his two dearest friends. Small victories.

Finally, his feet took him to Margaret's corpse, lying face first in the ground where she'd been shot. With his foot, he turned her body over, sickened by the dead weight of what had once been a living person not two hours ago. Corpses had never bothered him, even in the world before, but seeing a fresh one, and of someone he'd known at that, was discouraging and depressing to say the least. The bullet had gone straight through the middle of her forehead, and her face was lax in a neutral expression, eyes still open in what he could only describe as a creepy way.

For awhile, he simply stared, wondering what she'd say if she still could. Cry that it wasn't fair? Mourn her luck? Pray that her sins had been forgiven? Curse him for bringing all of this on them? No, this wasn't on him. Technically, it was on Lexi, though he couldn't see any fault in her actions or reasonings. Though when it all came down to it, this was Damien's doing, through and through, giving Law all the more reason to loathe the man.

The color from a Margaret's face had mostly faded, and her body was beginning to swell. He supposed he should feel worse about her death, but Law couldn't bring himself to entirely care. She'd been a thorn in his side ever since they arrived, even more so after the little trip they took together, but that didn't necessarily call for her death. Perhaps he'd lost more of his humanity than he'd claimed earlier that morning to this same woman.

Finally turning away from Margaret's upturned and staring eyes, Law swept his gaze across the empty trailers. There were no heads peeking out from the doorways. No cowering residents who'd managed to hide from the tragedy like they had. Nothing to indicate survivors of any kind. By this time, he knew it was pointless to look, but a part of him deep down, the part he thought had died along with the world, hoped that someone, anyone, was still alive here with them.

Law was amazed that a horde of the undead had not already arrived to the camp, though he supposed there weren't a lot wandering around in this area to begin with anymore. Still, he didn't want to stick around long enough to find out if they would. He sighed, the sorrow beginning to seep into that numbing shock he'd felt from before. A heavy weight pressed itself on his shoulders.

"Grab our bags and take what you can from the pantry." Law broke the silence, causing his two companions to jump from the sudden sound. "I'll see what weapons are left in the armory." They looked at him sadly, but didn't protest as they turned away to head back to their shared trailer. The sound of their feet on the trailer steps prompted him back into movement. Walking carefully, cautiously so as not to trip and fall on the slippery grass or a stray body, Law made his way to the armory where the weapons were stored.

Why Damien didn't think to raid the camp Law couldn't understand, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if it meant he still had his sword and an arsenal of various weapons to defend themselves with. The metal gate was connected immediately to the armory, and he tried the knob. It wouldn't move, locked. Law cursed, glancing back and forth as if the answer would present itself to him.

He'd need a key, but there was nowhere for him to think of looking first-

His eyes drifted over to Marve's corpse, most of the man's head missing from the gunshot to his head. Being the main guardsman, he was sure to have the key. Law wasn't looking forward to getting up close and personal with the man's dead body, but it seemed unavoidable if Law wanted to get his weapon back.

With a resigned sigh, he wandered back over to the man's body, flipping him over just like he had Margaret. The man's face was partially gone, thanks to the hole in the top of his head. Law searched for a necklace or anything that would have the key, but nothing jumped out at him. Kneeling on the ground immediately wet his knees with the stain of blood, but Law faced it with grit teeth, digging through the man's pockets in his jacket for any sign of what he was looking for.

He heard Shachi and Penguin shuffling around behind him, no doubt to go to the pantry to stock up on whatever food they could find. Shachi walked up beside him and gave him his bag, knowing he'd need the space to hold whatever he found in terms of weapons. Then, he turned and followed after Penguin to fill their own packs. In the meantime, Law eventually dug the key from Marve's inside jacket pocket.

Approaching the armory door again, this time with bag in hand, he tried the key and was relieved to hear it click into place. Swinging the door open, he peered into the darkened room, barely making out a large shelf with various weapons stuffed on it's shelves. There was a table with a large box, almost the size of a trunk, atop it, and he went there first. He dropped the bag on the table beside him. The box held a varied selection of limited ammo, collected by the camp over the few years they'd established the place.

Law took his time to inspect them all, picking and counting what was available for him to take. Whatever had the most use and ammo, he matched to the weapon on the shelf behind him. His sword was propped against the wall in the corner, and he quickly slung the sheath on his back, feeling the grip in comfort. It was good to have it back.

The stock wasn't as large as he'd hoped for, but it was all they had, so he filled the bag with what he could, lugging half a dozen weapons into the bag, tucking a pistol on his belt and saving a few for Shachi and Penguin. Once he'd cleared what he could carry and what would fit into the bag from the armory, he made his way back outside, shutting the door behind him and tucking the key into his pocket. Wouldn't hurt to keep the means of getting into the other weapons, just in case.

Law met Shachi and Penguin outside, seeing they'd stuffed their packs full and were standing in the middle of the clearing. It was obvious they were trying to avoid looking at the signs of death around them, but seeing as the bodies were everywhere, it was difficult to do so. The three stood together in the middle of the ruined camp, the bodies of their companions littering the ground around them.

"Should we…you know…bury them?" Shachi eventually asked, eyes downcast to the grass.

"It would take forever to dig all those graves." Penguin said, trying to be realistic about it.

"Yeah, but still…"

"Leave them as they are. There's nothing more we can do for them." Law said resolutely, trying to be gentle about the suggestion but knowing there wasn't really anything nice about the situation anyways. "Besides, if we want to catch up to Damien's group in time, we'd best leave soon."

"Wait…we're really going after that guy?" Shachi voiced their surprise, both of their eyebrows raising at Law's suggestion. He regarded them in confusion, not quite understanding their reactions.

"You want to rescue Lexi, don't you?" Law clarified, and they nodded vigorously.

"Yeah!"

"Of course, we just didn't think-"

"That I'd want to?" He guessed, and they reluctantly nodded.

"We know how cautious you are, and seeing as it'll be dangerous to follow after them…"

"Plus you've always been pretty wary about her, so we figured you'd just want us to move on like always."

"I'll admit, I'm tempted." He answered honestly, lowering his head as he thought about his words. "But Lexi is a survivor. She's saved our lives a few times already, so it's no longer a matter of if I trust her or not. I'd like to ask her to come with us if possible, but we'll have to get her back first."

Shachi and Penguin both perked up at that revelation, looking decidedly more invigorated at the prospect of finding the brunette. Then, the reality of the circumstances began to sink in, and they deflated.

"The numbers are ten to three, though."

"How are we supposed to get her back? And what about the other women?"

"We'll figure that out once we get there, but all the same, our goal is to retrieve Lexi." Law replied, slinging the backpack onto his back and adjusting the holster of the pistol on his hip. Regarding the both of them, he nodded again. "Besides, I'm rather eager to see this bastard dead. Wouldn't you agree?"

Shachi and Penguin nodded their own enthusiasm, following after Law as they headed towards the direction Law believed Damien's group to have gone.

* * *

 

Lexi could feel her previously-shed tears crusting her cheeks, the track marks rolling down her chin and past her collar bone. The shirt she had been wearing earlier would have soaked up the moisture, but since they'd forced her to undress, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination, her tears rolled down until it eventually evaporated on her skin.

Eyes red and itchy from the crying, Lexi kept her head down as her and the rest of the woman were forced to walk together in their rope line, tied around their wrists and waists so they couldn't escape. The men nearest to her, the younger boy included, would openly talk about their state of undress, rating or complimenting their bodies as they walked through the forest barefoot. The men didn't seem too worried about the possibility of their feet being torn up from the shrubbery and stickers littering the underbrush of the forest, and so the women had to suck up the pain silently, letting only the smallest of sobs escape them.

Lexi was surprised and comforted by the strength of the women around her, knowing it gave herself a stronger determination to prolong her life just a little bit more. She wouldn't be dying today, no sir, not if she had anything to say about it.

Despite her self-determination, the ever-present fear of the atrocities she'd witnessed while confined in the group's encampment still weighed heavily on her conscious. It was something possibly worse than death; being violated and able to do absolutely nothing about it.

The two men closest her chuckled at something under their breaths, snapping Lexi out of her thoughts for the time being. She dared a glance in their direction, slightly thankful and guilty at the same time to realize they weren't looking directly at her, but a woman a few people in front of her. She felt awful for thinking it, that at least it wasn't her, knowing that the more men who noticed you with this group, the more likely you'd be raped.

More than once, she heard a woman whimper because the men got a little too handsy. They'd occasionally touch their breasts or stroke their back, teasingly promising to do worse things later on. Lexi only hoped she wouldn't be included in those fantasies.

A man just behind them however, no, the boy rather, _was_ staring at her hungrily, and Lexi swallowed the lump at the back of her throat, unconsciously trying to pull her roped wrists higher in front of her exposed chest to cover them, feeling dirty and worthless just having him look at her that way. His eyes drifted further down her body to where she couldn't cover even if she wanted to, and Lexi finally turned her head away, pretending that nothing was happening to begin with in an effort to stop it.

It was fortunate that it was still during the summer months, otherwise the air this late into the night would have been chilly and uncomfortable to the unclothed women, but the general temperature was otherwise pleasant. At least they wouldn't have to worry about freezing to death. Lexi's only consolation, which wasn't all that consoling to be frank, was that Damien wanted them to reach the compound alive and well so they could be of…use.

"Alright, I'd say we made some progress tonight. Let's camp here and carry on tomorrow morning." Damien eventually interrupted, stopping in the middle of a thicker area of the forest, forming a sort of wall on either side of them that zombies—or people, Lexi thought with a speck of hope—would find it difficult to get through.

One of the guards roughly shoved the first woman in line, Tara, towards an edge of the clearing, shoving her down to sit on the ground. This forced the rest of them to follow suit, their bonds giving no room to move around or allow for freedom of any kind. Lexi found herself sitting between two older yet still attractive women, both having lost that flame of survival in their eyes. Lexi recognized that look, so familiar to her after staying with the other women who'd been there before she escaped at the compound.

The men began pitching their sleeping rolls and the few tents they were in possession of. Damien, of course, took one of them, leaving the rest of the men besides the higher-up ranked ones to sleep out in the open. Two or three of them were on guard at any given time, one of which were assigned to watch the women should they try to escape.

For the next half hour, they sat in fear as the other men prepared to head to sleep. Lexi tried to catch the eye of the women closest to her, but when she tried they only looked away with a glare. It was then that Lexi realized they must blame her for everything that had happened to them. If not for her arrival at their camp, things never would have ended up this way. That sobering thought stopped her from trying to learn a little more about who was captured with her, knowing they probably didn't want anything to do with her in the first place.

A rather sharp rock was digging into her hip, though her bound hands were restricted and there was nothing to do about it. Irritatingly, Lexi wiggled in place trying to fix the problem, head still kept low so as not to draw too much attention to herself.

Unfortunately, Damien and the younger boy chose that moment to pay her a visit, the older man stopping a few feet away and crouching to regard her. Lexi refused to look him in the eye, dodging his gaze as best she could. For several moments, he just stayed there, staring, no doubt at her exposed breasts which Lexi could do nothing to cover. Then, he laughed under his breath in amusement.

"Thought you could escape, did ya?"

Lexi didn't bother to give a reply.

"Cat got your tongue?" He hissed, his hand snatching out to grab her neck. She jerked, gasping as he pulled her face closer to look him in the eye forcefully. His grip was stronger than the metal collar ever used to be. "Answer me, bitch."

"Ugh!" She gasped, trying to pry his fingers off her neck, but to no avail. Damien examined her face, waiting for an answer. Behind him, the boy grinned as if this were all some game, some big joke. It was sickening. "Ye-yeah…" Lexi eventually ground out, sucking in air as he let her go. The leader stood again, wiping his hands on his pants as if he'd just touched something filthy.

"We'll make sure you don't ever get that idea again, especially after what I have in store for you once we get back." He threatened, standing straighter and turning to walk back to his tent, the boy following him obediently, lost an imprinted duck.

Lexi panted with the need for air, slowly gaining back her breath. The women around her said nothing, didn't even look sorry for her, but this wasn't surprising anymore. They hated her, after all. She had no allies here, and there didn't appear to be any chance of rescue or escape this time around.

The reality of her impending death, or eventual rape, finally began to sink in, and a fresh flow of tears touched the corner of her eyes. Lexi was never the praying type, but maybe now was as good a time to start as any for some sort of miracle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poll for next chapter:
> 
> Alive or Dead?
> 
> Please leave a comment with your vote.


	24. Bread Crumbs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains mentions of rape.

The first and second nights were hell.

Coupled with the pain of her feet from walking barefoot on the rough terrain of the forrest, Lexi was in a constant state of fear, wondering if it would be her turn to be raped by these men. She'd been lucky so far but already two of the women had been subjected to the brutal treatment from their 'owners.' Lexi's luck could only hold out so long.

The days were long, and while the men of the group were forced to move at a slower pace for their female captives, the going was still tough. Bugs bit them frequently and without mercy. Numerous times they'd stumbled and fallen, inadvertently dragging almost the entire chain of women down with them, only to be shouted and kicked at to get back up.

The heat of the sun, despite being hidden behind the canopy of leaves overhead, still beat down upon them. After the first day of walking, Lexi could feel the sunburn at her shoulders and on her cheeks, but having no way to alleviate the burning sensation on her skin. It was frustrating. How she wished she could just run off from these people, but the ropes were holding her tight to her fellow captives.

The nights, perhaps, were worse though. The possibility of one of them next becoming the target of the men's wandering eyes and hands was all too real, and so much worse than a long trek through the forest. The darkness played with her mind, and Lexi kept seeing shadows in the trees. Whether it was an instinctual fear of what monsters could be lurking out there, or the ever-present and foolish desire for someone to be there to rescue her, she couldn't tell.

While Lexi knew the threat of a zombie popping out from nowhere without the guards knowing about it was nearly impossible, the fear of this exact situation somehow happening kept crossing her mind. Each noise in the forest around them snapped her awake, and it didn't help that the men around the camp weren't the quietest of sleepers. They snored loudly, shifted and rolled in their sleep at random times, and generally just made a ruckus while the terrified women were forced to sit there in the dark, completely naked.

Lexi noticed the women huddling around each other, drawing warmth and comfort from one another as best they could, though they shied away from Lexi if at all possible. Saddened, the brunette gave up trying to bond with them entirely. It would be pointless anyways. All of them hated her deeply, she knew this despite the sentiment never having been verbalized. Having nobody but herself to comfort her took a toll, and was almost counterproductive. Her own guilt from bringing all of this onto these women outweighed any pity she felt towards herself.

 _What would Law say?_ Lei found herself thinking on more than one occasion. She'd shake her head, wishing that she'd never been found by that scavenging team. All of the people closest to her, Law and Shachi and Penguin included, she assumed, had been killed. Brutally murdered, all because of her.

Maybe hiding the truth from Margaret hadn't been the smartest move, but she'd trusted Law to know what was best for the situation. Maybe telling her wouldn't have made a difference. It was too late to know now. All she could think of were her three unexpected friends. And yet still, she hadn't seen them in the pile of bodies at the camp. Some tiny sliver of hope remained that they had survived, and had found a way to escape far from here. Or, maybe, that damned speck of hope made her wonder…

_No, of course they wouldn't. They're outnumbered and owe nothing to me._

Practically alone, Lexi didn't feel an ounce of sleep, despite staying awake several hours later with perhaps the second change of guard that night. Her fear kept the adrenaline running, and no amount of exhaustion was going to put her guard down enough to actually sleep.

Her vigilance served to only add to the horrors she witnessed, as not too long after the guards changed, she noticed them gesturing repeatedly towards a girl further down the line. Even from this distance, Lexi heard them laugh under their breath, then one shrugged, and his companion broke off from the spot they'd been watching to walk towards them.

Lexi was disgusted, eyes squeezing shut for a moment to appear asleep. She heard the man walk closer, his boots crushing the fallen leaves beneath his feet with each step, until the muffled sound of one of the girls struggling against him overtook any other. The familiar ripping noise of a piece of duct tape being pulled pierced through the air, before the girl's cries were muffled further.

The brunette risked cracking an eye open, seeing the man cutting away at the bonds that tied Tara to the rest of the women. Lexi swallowed, hastily closing her eyes again as the sound of the man dragging her away from them grew fainter and fainter. But not too far away.

Lexi and the rest of them could still hear the sound of clothing being undone, and Tara's distressed cries. Poor girl. Poor girl. The sentiment repeated in each of their minds, as there was nothing else they could do for her now.

It was disgusting, the slaps of skin, male grunts of exertion and pleasure, and the obvious terror in Tara's muffled screams. They weren't loud enough to wake the men sleeping, but it was enough to snap awake any of the women that had managed to nod off. They curled up tighter on themselves, torn between feeling pity for Tara or relieved that it wasn't them this time. Mostly the latter, however, which only served to bring rise to a whole lot of guilt.

Some time later, too long in fact, the sounds finally stopped and Lexi heard the man's zipper. Then, unexpectedly, she opened her eyes again at the sound of a struggle happening. The man grunted, either in surprise or anger. Unable to see what was happened, Lexi only hoped that Tara wasn't doing something to endanger her life further. If anyone knew the unpredictability of these men, and what they were capable of, it was Lexi. Resisting or fighting back wouldn't be the best idea.

Leaves were crushed. Something smacked roughly against a tree trunk. The obvious struggle caught the attention of the other guard standing there, and he hurried to see what was happening. Tara all the while was sniffling in fear, grunting behind the tape and whimpering in pain or terror.

The man was swearing, cursing at her harshly. The second guard must have arrived then, because the sound of smacks and thumps became louder, and Tara's noises stopped completely. Lexi held her breath, hoping that the worst hadn't come to pass, though knowing her holding out for something less than reality was just wasting her own time. What was done was done.

For a long moment, there was nothing. Not even the sound of breathing, of movement. Nothing. And then a pair of footsteps grew louder as they came closer, and the two guards emerged back in Lexi's line of sight. However, there was no sign of Tara. She closed her eyes, afraid as to what exactly that meant. The men's words only served to further her worry.

"The bitch pushed me. Had it coming."

"Eh, you'll just have to take a pick from the others back home. Nobody likes the hard-to-get or the violent ones anyway." They trailed too far away for Lexi to hear the rest of the conversation, but her thoughts were in too much turmoil to pay attention anyways.

If one of them was expendable, just how many would be allowed to die before they got back to camp?

* * *

Straightening up from the dirt, Law brushed at his knees to rid his pants of the leaves and dirt. "Looks like they camped here briefly." He observed, seeing the tell-tale signs of where camp stakes had been hammered into the ground. Obvious bare patches where debris had been cleared away for people to sleep was another major sign.

"Any idea how far behind we are?" Shachi questioned, keeping an eye on the forest around them. They doubted they'd run into Damien's group so soon, only having been traveling for a day, but one never knew. Better safe than sorry.

"Couldn't really say, considering we had no idea if they traveled through dark or camped right after attacking."

It was true. They hadn't been able to follow far after Damien's group had initially left Woodsfield, seeing as the darkness made it difficult to track. They'd gone about a mile, before being unsure of where the path was leading. Law made the decision to, despite not agreeing with it at all, stop for the night and pick up in the morning. It would cost them time and distance, but he didn't want to accidentally be following in the wrong direction, which would do more harm than staying put.

"Well, looks like they've kept west for the most part. Unless they think someone's following after them, we should be safe just sticking that direction." Penguin shrugged by way of explanation. It was sound logic. "I mean, is there any reason he'd think he's being tracked?"

"How would Law know that, idiot?" Shachi chimed in with a shake of his head. Penguin sent him a glare.

"I'm just thinking aloud. It's called discussion."

"Who knows what he's thinking? Depends on what sort of leader Damien is." Their leader started, sending them both a tired glance before heading in the same direction they'd been following up to this point. "If he's paranoid, he may take precautions even without the suspicion. Though if their movements so far have been this consistent, I'm more likely to believe he's the arrogant type."

Shachi followed first after him, Penguin taking up the rear. "Meaning?"

Law glanced behind him, making sure they were indeed keeping up. "Meaning he'll head straight for whatever base of operations they have without diverging off course. He thinks even if he were being followed, it wouldn't matter anyways."

* * *

The next morning, Lexi and the others were given meager rations, tiny in proportion to what Damien's men had for their breakfast. Lexi felt her stomach rumble loudly a few times, protesting their treatment and neglect. Nothing she said or did would change that, though.

Damien had sauntered out from his tent and grinned smugly at the captive women, who still tried to shy away from his prying eyes which so blatantly looked over their exposed bodies. "So, sounds like one of you tried to get snippy last night."

None of them bothered to respond, and simply kept quiet. Who knew what words would send him off in a fit of rage. Luckily, he hadn't been expecting an answer and continued on anyways.

"Hopefully that'll serve as a warning. From now on, you obey orders without question, and without a fight. Let that go to show what happens when you start to defy your owner."

"O-owner?" One of the women asked timidly. Her fearful eyes looked up to Damien with equal parts confusion and fear. He smiled his wicked grin in reply.

"That's right. Once we get back, you'll be paired off to whoever picks you. From then on, you'd best do everything you can to satisfy him, since he's the one with your life in his hands."

That shut up any further questions from the ladies, who were now much more terrified of the life that was facing them in the near future. Damien chuckled, before casually loping away to visit with the rest of his men. The women exchanged glances, while Lexi simply kept her head down, having been listening intently to the conversation.

Based on what that boy had said to her back at the camp, she assumed her 'owner' had already been chosen.

 _"_ _You're mine now."_ He'd hissed, that dark gleam of excitement and fascination flickering behind his eyes. For being just a boy, it was terrifying. Lexi closed her own and minutely shook her head, trying to rid herself of that mental image. If she could help it at all, the smallest opportunity of possible escape, Lexi was taking.

It would be dangerous and stupid to try running again, especially with all the firepower her captors were in possession of. From the sound of it though, death may be a more appealing way out anyways.

The men packed up whatever was left of the camp they'd made, strapping tents and blankets onto packs, before calling out they were ready to start moving again. The women were roughly dragged to their feet, and though the pain from all the walking had dulled overnight as soon as they stood again it returned tenfold. They throbbed painfully, and each woman had to hold back groans of pain.

The men checked the ropes just to be safe, ensuring none of them had tried cutting through during the night, and the trek back to Damien's camp began once more. As they started off, Lexi looked towards the direction of where Tara had gone and never came back, spotting a pale white figure laying in the grass, partially covered by leaves and the natural slope of the hill. The guilt weighed heavily on Lexi's shoulders, and she could not stand to see the young woman's body any longer, turning back to the direction the men were taking them.

* * *

It was late into the afternoon when Law spotted the body. Though, the subtle stench of the beginnings of decay meant he smelled it far earlier than when he saw it. At the first signs of decay, he narrowed his eyes, sniffing the air experimentally to try to determine how long the unseen corpse had been dead. Less than 24 hours he assumed. It wasn't strong enough to be much longer than that.

Shachi and Penguin, long having gotten used to that particular stench, simply grimaced. The small group came across what looked to be a second campground. There were depressions in the grass, and cleared away patches of the hill, just as before. Law looked around, following the sound of the buzzing flies to the corpse in question.

The sight of the familiar red hair made him pause, and he looked away out of respect. Unclothed, skin turning that hue of dead purple, and bloated from the gases leaving her organs, Tara was partially covered by the leaves covering the forest floor.

"Oh god…" Penguin muttered, coming up behind Law to see who the corpse had been. Seems he'd recognized her too. Shachi stayed further away, taking from his friend's reaction and not wanting to witness what he could guess had happened.

Law's respectful glance away then began to feel ridiculous. She was dead. He was a doctor. The concept of modesty was null at this point, even if the thought still made him hesitate. He let a small breath, tearing his gaze from his shoes back to the young woman's corpse. It still felt strange and slightly unchivalrous to be viewing her naked body, but there was nothing to do about that.

Her face was permanently stuck in a neutral yet somehow still terror-stricken face. Eyes wide open and staring up into the canopy of leaves above, it still unnerved him how fake a corpse could look when in the process of decomposition. Her had begun to sink into the back of her head, and her extremities looked much paler than she'd ever appeared before. All that remained of what was once Tara was her empty shell, all life having left those eyes, the spunky personality leaving no trace.

Obviously she'd been raped. The sticky, clear-white fluid that had dried over her thighs was an obvious sign, coupled with the light tracks of blood between them. Her torso was bruised, the purple hue of her skin much lighter than the darker patches where she'd obviously been attacked. Her neck showed signs of strangulation, a bruise in the shape of two hands just under her chin. What was obviously the killing blow, a stab wound to the side of her head, was crusted over with blood, a puddle of which had soaked into the earth next to her. The only consolation Law had was that at least she wouldn't come back as a monster, her brain having been destroyed in that killing blow.

Strangely enough, her fingers and knuckles had signs of trauma as well, easily recognizable offensive wounds. She'd fought back. Despite not knowing her long, and thinking Tara more annoying than anything, Law felt a twinge of respect for knowing she hadn't just taken her abuse laying down. Not that it had mattered in the long run anyways.

After gently coaxing her eyelids shut with the tip of his knife, Law straightened, feeling as though he'd learned enough from her corpse. Looking any longer would be unnecessary. His sigh caught his companions' attention and Shachi cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Did they…" He started, not wanting to speak the word aloud. Knowing what he was asking, Law nodded. This caused the hatted man to scowl. "Fuck…And Lexi's still with them. Things are worse than I thought."

"Give this place a once over, in case there are any more bodies, and let's keep moving." Law instructed, trying to see how far the sun was from dipping below the horizon. This was difficult to do while in a forest." If we happened upon this camp in less than a day's walk from their last, it means we're catching up."

Nodding resolutely, Shachi and Penguin went to check the surrounding area, both hoping that Lexi's body wouldn't be the next to be found.


	25. Dystopian Justice

"Another two days walk should bring us home."

Lexi's ears perked up at that statement, still pretending to be asleep as Damien and one of his men walked by the group of four remaining women. Three captives, including Tara, had already been killed off for disobeying or resisting too much. The group leader and his second in command both passed them by without stopping or commenting on them at all. A welcome change.

The wind had picked up that night, the leaves on the forest floor rustling as they were sent tumbling against others. It made Lexi a bit paranoid, unable to discern the leaves blowing in the wind with the sounds of a stray, shambling zombie. With the sound as it was, any undead could just waltz up, surprising the group. Still, she tried getting her mind off of her fear and listen to the conversation between the men walking by.

"I thought we'd be bringing more back, to be honest. Might have to plan another outing soon after. A few new fresh faces will do our camp some good." Damien continued with a chuckle.

The second man said something that Lexi couldn't hear, and the rest of the conversation was lost as the distance grew between them. They'd just finished putting the tents up for the night, and she guessed they were both off to find their beds. Lexi squirmed in place, unable to stop the rising panic that they were getting closer to where she'd originally escaped from.

She really didn't want to go back. Not ever.

* * *

By the time they found the third body, Law was intent on giving Damien all the justice he deserved. He'd met his fair share of despicable people before, but none as sadistic and brutal as the man they were now hunting. The sheer number of bodies he seemed to leave in his wake was astounding, even by this fucked up world's standards.

Each time they rounded a bend in the trees, still following the trail the group of men and captives had left, Law tensed, seeing another naked body hidden among the leaves and dirt. Each time, he had that moment of slight fear that this time, it'd be her. It'd be Lexi. In which case, this whole hunt would be almost pointless. Despite Law vaguely telling Shachi and Penguin that they'd deal with the other women when it came to it, Law honestly had no intention of helping them further than depositing them somewhere they could probably survive. He wasn't keen on forming another township or add more to their group other than a single particular women in that group. He'd had enough of large camps for the time being. Hopefully his friends would agree.

The second woman had been a brunette, and his skin had crawled, almost hesitant to approach the corpse. Law had been astounded by how strong the panic he was feeling that it would be her actually was, and even more appalled when he felt a wave of relief that it wasn't Lexi each time they found a body, this one included. A woman had still died. It was still a loss of life. Technically, Lexi's life was worth no more than any of these people's…

But Law couldn't help but hold her just a bit above them in his list of priorities.

The sun had already reached it's peak in the sky above them hours ago, and it was now almost back down to the horizon. Every once in awhile, the bright rays would blind Law in the spaces between the trees. All three men were tired of the constant walking, but knew that the faster they caught up with the group ahead of them, the less likely that something would happen to Lexi or another of those women. Specifically Lexi.

Law felt like an asshole each time he reiterated that particular thought to himself, but eventually shrugged it away. It was what it was.

Judging by the frequency by which they came across the remains of Damien's camps, they could tell they were catching up. Law was willing to bet having the captives was slowing the group's progress by a large degree. At this rate, he imagined they'd catch up with them soon. Good, because the doctor was just itching to get his hands around the bastard's neck and deliver what he deserved by way of punishment.

Both Shachi and Penguin had fallen unusually silent the past day or so. Normally they were bickering or conversing incessantly, constantly prompting Law to shut them up. There was no need for that, it seemed, as the weight of the situation had apparently quieted them down for the time being. Their expressions were set in determination, as well as slight fear that they'd be too late. Law could understand, turning back to the path before them with an inaudible sigh. He sincerely hoped they weren't.

They continued walking for at least half an hour, stuck in their own thoughts. Conversation seemed dull at this point, almost forced. And so the silence was better. Law kept an eye on the darkness of the sky, knowing they'd have to stop before too much longer. Thankfully the moon was full that night and offered a bit more light to go by than usual, but it was still difficult to see the trail left by the traveling group.

He was just about to call it a night before Shachi stopped suddenly, causing the others to do the same. He held up a hand and looked off to the side, head cocked as if listening intently to something.

"I hear talking." He said, turning expectantly to Law and Penguin. They both took a moment to pause, and after a few seconds, the sounds of men conversing did, in fact, reach their ears. The three friends shared a long glance as they realized they'd caught up to Damien's group.

"Load up." Law whispered, not wanting to risk being heard now that he was aware they were so close to their target. Reaching for the pack on his back, he unzipped it to reveal the weapons they'd ransacked from the armory in Woodsfield. Shachi and Penguin gathered beside him to inspect what they had.

"How are we going to go about this?" Penguin questioned, voicing what was on all three of their minds. Both men turned instinctively to Law, who looked away to think. Sometimes it was too much being the decision maker of the group. Everything rode on his ability to plan and strategize.

"I want to have eyes on the camp before making any decisions." He said, looking back up to Penguin when he nodded.

"I can get close and take a look. One person will be quicker and quieter than all three of us."

Biting his lip, Law thought about the offer, finally nodded slowly in agreement. It wasn't his first choice to have one of them go, but in his experience, Penguin was a bit lighter on his feet than either himself or Shachi. "You're right. Just be careful, and try to get the layout and numbers. I want to be as prepared as we can."

Penguin took off his backpack and placed it on the ground beside Law and Shachi, sending them a thumbs up before heading off closer to the encampment.

* * *

Shachi and Law waited impatiently in their spot between some of the trees a good distance away from the camp. The possibility that Penguin would be spotted made them both on edge, but as of yet they hadn't heard any shouts of alarm or gunshots. Those were good signs, admittedly, but each minute dragged on and on.

Shachi's knee bound up and down while he sat cross-legged. It was a nervous twitch, but Law didn't comment on it. His eyes instead were busy sweeping the section of forest where his friend had gone, hoping to see any sign of the man returning. That, or any zombie that happened to be nearby. If anything, the undead would go instead to the much noisier camp where Damien and his men were, but one never knew.

"He's been gone awhile…" Shachi muttered under his breath, head swiveling towards the sounds of the camp. It was true, and Law didn't like it either.

Law shook his head slowly. "We just have to trust him. If he were caught, we'd have heard it."

"Yeah…" Shachi answered reluctantly, crossing his arms and bundling in closer to himself for a bit more warmth.

The wind in the forest, for as gentle as it was, still blew across the ground and rustled leaves occasionally. The frequent noise set Law's teeth somewhat on edge, but after awhile of dealing with the incessant sound it began to dawn on him that it was an advantage. It may mask any ruckus they made on approach to the camp. After that realization, it wasn't nearly as irritating as before.

Perhaps it was that reason that Law didn't hear Penguin's approach until he was very nearly a few feet away from them. Both men jumped with a start when they heard him whisper towards them. "Hey!"

"God, Penguin, give us a little warning next time." Shachi hissed in frustration, shaking his head to rid himself of the shot of adrenaline that had coursed through him.

Penguin shrugged. "That _was_ the warning. But anyways," he turned back towards Law as he crouched beside them, "there are still ten of Damien's men, including himself. One of them can't be more than a teenager though." He wondered to himself.

"And the women?"

The question made him look a bit more uncomfortable. "They're uh…roped together on one side of the camp. None of them are clothed, and they've had to walk through this forest like that this whole time, by the looks of it."

"Those fuckers…" Shachi snarled to himself, fist tightening on his leg at the mere thought of them. "And they call themselves real men?"

Law gave him a few moments glance then looked away from the redhead, turning towards Penguin for more information. "Did you see Lexi?"

"Yeah," he nodded in relief, "she's there in the middle of the remaining women. Looks a little thin and roughed up but otherwise ok."

"Hopefully…" Shachi muttered pessimistically. "Who knows what they've done to them that we haven't seen?"

The three men lapsed into a few moments of silence, each one hoping that nothing too bad had happened to their friend. Snapping them back into action, Law turned back to Penguin. "Anything else we should be aware of?"

He thought for several seconds before responding. "Everyone looks to be close to turning in. There were only a handful of guys left awake, and they seem to have started quieting down by the time I left." He paused, then continued. "I only saw two guards posted to keep watch. They're at separate points of the group."

"Hmm…any ideas?" Law asked, knowing Penguin would probably have the best idea of how to approach this after visually seeing the layout of the camp.

"Well, the guards keeping watch will be the first obstacle. Either we take care of them first or we run the risk of being found."

"That'll be difficult to do without alerting anyone else. Taking out someone silently is almost impossible when they struggle" Shachi added slowly.

Law agreed, but couldn't see how else they'd be able to get rid of the guards otherwise. "Did you get a read on how alert they are?"

Penguin bobbed his head back and forth in a 'so-so' motion. "Kind of. They didn't appear to be watching all that intently. Most of the time they were staring at the women, the sick bastards." The last part was muttered angrily under his breath.

"That plays to our advantage. Plus, with all this wind it'll be a bit easier to sneak up on them without being heard." Shachi said, feeling a bit more confident about this. It was still extremely dangerous, taking on a group of men so much larger than their own, but this was for Lexi. They weren't about to just let her be taken away to some perverted camp.

Law nodded resolutely. "Penguin, take us as close to the camp as you can to get a visual. We can coordinate from there and get ready."

* * *

It was chillier than the previous nights had been, and Lexi was left shivering with the remaining handful of women. They were sat at the edge of the camp, as usual, the ropes keeping them together were tight and rubbed painfully at the points where they were tied. Lexi knew that her wrists and neck would have rope burns by the time they got back to the camp, but there was nothing be done about that.

She shifted in place to try gaining a more comfortable position, but no matter how much wiggling she did, nothing would alleviate the numbness in her butt. Sitting in one place for so long did that to you.

She resigned herself to another uncomfortable night of sleeping for several minutes at a time and waking due to some outside noise. Her eyes drooped fro exhaustion but the ever-present fear and terror prevented her from actually resting. It was a vicious cycle that Lexi couldn't break. The body's natural fight or flight response kept her from getting the sleep she needed.

She sighed to herself, leaning the back of her head on the tree she was leaned up against. Her eyes wandered upwards at the dark canopy of trees above them. You couldn't see the stars overhead. She couldn't believe they were still in the forest, even after so many days of traveling. She supposed they were deep in some national forest or something similar, or maybe they weren't traveling as far as she thought each day. It was difficult to tell.

Her head pounded from dehydration, and she tried closing her eyes to rid herself of the dull throb. It wouldn't go away. All the time spent crying had really taken a toll on her body's water supply. Throat dry and scratchy, she tried swallowing a few times but it didn't help.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the gentle pull of the ropes of her hands. She cracked an eye open and saw the woman beside her shifting in place too, then settle again after a whimper.

Lexi normally would have tried saying something to comfort her. That's what she'd done when she'd first been locked up with the other women at Damien's camp. The brunette would be the one to comfort the rest while they were laying helplessly in the 'Doghouse' as Damien called it. She'd held them and whispered soft words to help them sleep a tiny bit better. It helped to bond the captive women at the time, and they'd been the ones to help give her the information she needed to escape.

Now, however, she knew her comforting words would fall on unwelcome ears. The few women left with her hadn't bothered looking at her for several days and Lexi knew that any attempt at conversation now wouldn't be received with anything more than a shrug.

So saying, Lexi closed her eyes again and ignored her.

After several minutes of listening to the leaves crunch and rustle as the wind blew them around the forest floor, Lexi's mind wandered to more depressing things. Like the guilt she felt for causing all of this mess. It had ultimately gotten the only three friends she had left in this world killed. The brunette regretted telling them that they meant a lot to her when she'd had the chance. They may be little more than strangers, when you logically looked at how much she knew about them and the cumulative amount of time she'd actually spent with them, but that didn't matter to her. She wished she'd thanked them just one more time for saving her life so many times.

And she really wished she'd realized that there was a special place in her heart for Law. Even if it wasn't entirely attraction, there was something about his companionship over the week or so at Woodsfield that had given her such peace of mind. Perhaps it was just knowing that he was still alive, even after all the months of surviving on her own, wondering how they were. Knowing that him and his friends were still alive…it gave her strength to keep on living too. Perhaps it was a simple as that fact.

A few fresh tears, somehow springing from her eyes despite having no water left in her body to spare for them, spilled over her cheeks. Those three were worth at least a few tears, she came to decide.

The quiet night was cut through with the loud and sudden ring of gunfire. She yelped along with the other women as a torrent of bullets began ripping through the night around them. The men of the camp jumped up from their bed rolls and shouted in fear and surprise. A few unlucky ones were struck silent, falling to the ground with a thump.

They cowered in their ropes against the trees, hands covering their heads as the pops and bangs of the guns around them continued. Men cried out with pain and fear, but Lexi refused to open her eyes for fear of seeing something else that would scar her.

The awful noise continued. There didn't appear to be much resistance from the men holding them captive, as Lexi didn't hear any new or returning gunfire over the deafening sounds. Before too long the stench of blood began to permeate the air even as the guns continued firing.

And then all of a sudden, the noise trickled down until there was an eerie silence that enveloped the air. The women around her whimpered and cried openly, sniffling through their terror. A few male voices cried out to each other in the dark in pain, along with the crunch of footsteps through the leaves somewhere in front of her.

Lexi finally did open her eyes then, blinking against the blackness to search for who had been firing upon the camp. She was lucky none of the shots had hit her, and then stilled at the thoughts that perhaps whoever had attacked them simply wanted the captive women for themselves. Or maybe they were on their way over to finish the jobs. One couldn't tell what the motivations were.

Lexi could see the few tents that had been pitched were riddled with holes, or lopsided from the poles having fallen in on themselves. Some were splattered with blood. Several dead bodies littered the ground in front of her. None of them moved, and she could only hear a few distance cries of pain somewhere further.

The crunching footsteps grew closer, until a figure appeared before them. The women whimpered in fear and shrunk in on themselves, but whoever they were held up a hand in reassurance.

"It's ok, we're here to free you guys. Just hang tight for a second!" The voice whispered, making their way into the camp. Behind him were two other figures, both carrying weapons as they made their way along the edges of the camp. Lexi's heart skipped a beat, having recognized Shachi's voice. She couldn't believe it. She genuinely couldn't believe it. Part of her was refusing to think this was reality, instead some cruel dream because how else would luck have ended up in her favor like this.

The seconds wore on and the women let out sighs of relief. The men continued perusing the camp. Perhaps they wanted to make sure they'd taken care of all the occupants. Who she believed to be Shachi returned after a few minutes of gathering things up from the various bedrolls and tents, carrying several blankets.

"Here, use these to cover yourselves up." He said, handing each woman their own cloth. The others eagerly snatched at them, and Lexi accepted hers too, almost having forgotten she was completely naked. He drew a knife and, after only a moment of panic through the line of women, he began cutting away the ropes that tied them together. Lexi felt immense relief at having the bindings come undone, and she rubbed at her sore skin while Shachi finished up the rest of the line.

He stood to return to the others but Lexi stopped him.

"Shachi?" She asked in a croak, and the man crouched down in front of her.

"Hey, Lexi. Are you ok?" Came his concerned question. She nodded with a slowly growing smile, and when she spoke her voice wobbled with relief.

"I am now."

"Shachi!" Another voice called, and the redhead turned to look towards his companion.

"One sec!" He looked back at Lexi and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Thank god we found you guys in time. But I'll be right back. Sit tight."

Lexi nodded her understanding and let him go, wrapping the blanket a little better around herself.

* * *

Law's first order of business was to find appropriate clothing for the women. The group of men had packed an extra change of clothes each, and Law tried to find the best fitting ones out of what was available. Despite them smelling like a gym locker room and being several sizes too big, none of the women complained. In fact, they were extremely grateful to have something to more or less cover themselves with.

Lexi was outfitted in what she thought had been the teenage boy's clothing, and the thought made her skin crawl just a bit. She was one of the smaller sized of the females so it only made sense, but still…She shivered, but said nothing about it, happy to not be entirely nude for the world to see anymore. Anything was better than that.

Shachi took it upon himself to make sure the women were ok. He brought them over by some trees to sit and relax for a moment, away from the awful sight of the camp. Lexi, however, walked over to where Penguin was escorting one of the men. She tensed, realizing that one of them was still alive. He cursed and muttered under his breath in pain, but he wasn't dead.

Penguin saw her approach and smiled. It was easier to see in the dark now, her eyes having adjusted to the blackness, so it wasn't hard to recognize exactly who they'd captured alive.

"Damien…" She stopped in her tracks, staring at the man who'd tormented her for so long. He looked up at her with a snarl.

"You'll fucking die, bitch. You and the rest of these-Gah!" He flinched as Penguin brought the butt of his gun into the back of his head.

"Shut the fuck up." The hatted man growled without remorse, his features softening as he looked to her again. "Heya, Lexi. Good to see you in one piece."

"You too." She said quietly, her voice still not used to being hydrated again. Shachi had been sure to get them all food and water after setting them free. She cast a quick glance at the disgusting man at her feet, seeing his hands and feet tied together to prevent escape. It put her a bit at ease.

She turned her attention back to Penguin. "I was scared you guys had been…you know…back at the camp."

"We were able to hide under the beds in our trailer. We, uh…we were the only ones that made it out…" He admitted ashamedly.

Lexi nodded slowly in understanding, her eyes at his boots. "I see. I'm sorry, I know you probably were friends with most of them."

"A few, yeah…" He trailed off, pausing before looking back up to her. "But still, we were able to save you guys. That has to count for something."

"Either way, it's appreciated." Feeling emotional, she stepped forward and brought him into a tight hug.

"No problem." He said confidently, returning the embrace. All the while, his eyes stayed on Damien, making sure the man didn't try anything. The two separated and Lexi's attention was drawn by the sound of shuffling more towards the center of the camp. She looked over and saw Law rummaging through the various tents and bedrooms strewn about the ground.

"You should go talk to Law." Penguin suggested, gesturing towards the man in question. "I'm sure he'd want to make sure you're ok."

"Yeah, I'll do that." She said, nodding one last time before walking towards the leader. His back was turned to her as he sifted through a pack one of the men had carried. He must have heard her approach, because he straightened and spun to face her.

"Are you injured? We don't have much in terms of medical supplies, but I've become pretty good at field first air." He said, inspecting her over for any obvious wounds. She smiled and shook her head.

"Our feet are pretty bad but nothing too serious. It's mostly mental trauma with the others, I think." She said, looking towards the group of women huddled around Shachi further away. "We saw some pretty scarring things the past few days."

"I can imagine." Law replied softly, drawing her attention again. "We tracked you from Woodsfield. Damien tends to leave a trail of corpses wherever he goes."

"Yeah. That's pretty typical of him." She said, looking away.

There were several seconds of silence between the two. Lexi wasn't sure what to say next, or even where she was supposed to go from here. Everything had happened so fast, and for awhile she didn't even believe that she'd come out of this alive.

She huffed humorlessly, then shook her head. "It's getting a bit ridiculous, the amount of times you guys keep saving my life. I'm becoming a real damsel in distress. Sooner or later I'm sure you'll come to think I'm more trouble than I'm worth."

Law chuckled under his breath, cocking one hip and crossing his arms. He met her gaze evenly and shrugged with a smile. It was very genuine, and Lexi cherished the sight. "We're just protecting a friend. Any trouble is worth the effort."

A friend, he'd said.

Lexi's heart clenched in emotion and she couldn't stop the wide smile from lighting her face even if she'd wanted to. Hearing she was Law's friend was extremely satisfying. She'd spent so long wondering if she even mattered to the stoic man, and now that it was solidified, all that worrying was definitely worth it. A friend was a precious thing indeed, and she was proud of having earned that title.

"Thank you." She whispered, resisting the urge to hug him. She had a feeling if he let her wrap her arms around him, she'd never want to let go. It might be embarrassing.

He shrugged away the thanks shifted on his feet. The sound of Damien's cursing brought both of their attentions over to the vile man. Lexi's mood soured just a tad at having to look at him, and she finally turned back to Law. "So what's the plan now?"

"We get the women to a safer place. I'm sure there's a town close by where we could take them. It'll mean more walking, but I doubt they'd want to return to Woodsfield."

Lexi gestured over to Damien. "And what about him?"

Law pursed his lips, eyeing the man with calculating eyes. "Well, I hadn't anticipated him surviving that ambush, but maybe it's better this way."

Lexi eyed him incredulously. "Better?"

An amused smirk graced his lips and he returned his gaze to her. "We can now guarantee he has the worst death possible. Dying to a bullet would be much too merciful for him, I think."

So saying, he lead her over to the tree where the women were huddled, picking up several lengths of rope.

* * *

Penguin and Shachi double checked the ties on the back end of the tree, tugging on them experimentally to make sure they were tight. "Looks like he won't be able to get out of this any time soon." The redhead agreed, stepping away and surveying their handiwork.

"Fuck you! Fuck all of you!" Damien spat his wrath, unable to really move due to being tied tightly to the tree. He struggled and squirmed, but the ropes were tight, painfully so. Law had made sure of it. In fact, he'd dislocated the man's shoulders just to have his arms wrap at an unnatural angle around the trunk.

Law stood in front, nodded with satisfaction at the way Damien struggled to free himself. "All that noise from the ambush is sure to have gotten the attention of at least a few zombies. I'm sure they won't be too much longer in coming."

"Then we'd better get a move on." Lexi added, her feet covered with socks from one of the men's packs and an ill-fitting pair of shoes.

"I agree." Law replied, stooping to pick up his pack from the ground. With a grunt, he set it on his shoulder and turned to the others of the group. "Alright, let's get a move on before we have more problems to deal with. If I'm reading the map correctly, a day's walk should bring us to a town to the East."

The women and men nodded, and he lead them off in the direction they intended to go, leaving the screaming and snarling form of Damien tied to the tree, spouting hatred and venom at his enemies' backs.

* * *

Damien wasn't sure how long he'd twisted and tugged against the ropes to try freeing himself. The darkness of night made it difficult to tell time, and his throat was parched from the lack of water. He had to get out of his bonds, or things wouldn't end well.

The man was desperate. He'd tried knowing away at the rope that was looped around his neck and, ultimately, around the trunk, but the angle was awkward and he couldn't reach it enough to do any sort of damage. The anger slowly gave way to panic, and then fear. The wind was still blowing the leaves across the ground, and he snapped his head around at every sound that crossed his ears.

His gasped of air had slowly given way into whimpers that he couldn't help. And he hated it.

In fact, the leader of the group that had attacked them had been wrong. The noise of the scuffle hadn't drawn in any zombies. No, it was something much worse.

The bodies of the men who'd been killed hours previously from shots not in the head groaned and slowly began to stir. Damien stared with wide eyes as the camp that had lain still for hours suddenly woke back up. Four or fire of them swayed as they came to their feet. The decay was absent from the usual sight of zombies, but the inhuman moans were unmistakable.

They must have smelled him, because one by one they turned to look his way. People he once knew stared at him hungrily, shuffling their way over to him with a determination to fill their bellies. He gasped for air, the horror at having to watch his fate unfold causing him to hyperventilate.

The corpses of his former followers descended upon the screaming man's body, devouring him piece by piece. Death came slowly, to the point where he gladly welcomed it once it finally approached.


	26. Safety In Numbers

Predictably, the group was slow-going as they made their way through the forest. The women had an easier time of things now that they weren't naked or chained together and were far and away more comfortable to be traveling than they had previously, but the condition of their feet made it impossible to go too far at a time without causing pain. Lexi suggested taking breaks every hour or so, just to give them some respite. Law agreed, but internally, he was impatient to drop them off somewhere and continue on with his own plans.

The forest must have been emptier than Law thought, because they had yet to come across any zombies that may have heard the noise of the ambush hours previously. Law had insisted they walk for several hours through the night before stopping to rest, just to put distance between them and the camp. Once he was satisfied no one would be out searching for them, he and his friends laid out their blankets and whatever comforts they could find for the women to rest. It would be an uncomfortable night for the men, but the women were exhausted, mentally and physically.

Shachi and Penguin volunteered to take first watch, leaving Law to hunker down beside a tree trunk and close his eyes. The rocks beneath the dirt made themselves known and dug into his thighs, but it would have to do. As was common in unfamiliar or dangerous situations, he wasn't really able to get much sleep. The leader found himself constantly shifting positions, and ultimately sighed in defeat. He resorted to keeping an extra watch on the women just in case, his eyes frequently straying to the brunette who was sleeping on the end. She looked to be out cold.

Law still intended to ask her to join them, but he hadn't found the right time to bring it up yet. There was still a part of him that was certain she'd refuse, especially after all of the trauma she'd just had to endure. Her outlook on life could have changed, or she could have now developed an aversion to men. It wouldn't be a surprise to him if she did, but it would certainly cause a kink in his plan.

He also wasn't sure what to do if she _were_ as emotionally scarred as the other women. Law wasn't a therapist, but he knew of techniques that psychiatrists and psychologists used to use for patients. It was a mandatory course at his university, to better connect and understand patients in their times of need, though he was no expert on it. But if Lexi refused to talk about it to heal, there wasn't much he could do to help. Having that white elephant present without a means to address it could affect the way the group worked together. There were a lot of factors that could go into it, and Law realized he wouldn't know for sure until he actually extended the offer. It would have to wait until tomorrow at the very least.

The women didn't seem to have any problems getting sleep, no doubt too exhausted to remain awake any longer. Plus, the added comfort that none of the people present were a danger to them helped their adrenaline levels lower to a large degree. They slept through the night without issue while Law's group kept watch. Miraculously, none of the undead had wandered into camp in the middle of the night, and the watches were uneventful.

When morning came, Law was itching to get moving, but the women were still asleep. He recalled a similar feeling when they'd bumped into Lexi once, offering a place to stay the night. He'd been impatient for her to wake back then. This time, though, he'd quell his impatience enough to not go waking up the camp. There was no rush this time to get to any destination.

It felt like a few hours after sunup that the women began to stir. They sat in place and looked around in a panic, before realizing that they were no longer in danger. Law watched as the relief flooded their eyes and they relaxed.

The boys offered them food and water as they each awakened one by one, until they were all up and awake. The camp spent a little while jump getting used to being up again, before Law suggested they keep moving.

They travelled most of the day with little to no conversation. After everything that had happened the day previously, there wasn't much left to talk about. The women whispered quietly to themselves, but Law had noticed that they never included Lexi in the discussions. Either that, or Lexi had no interest in speaking to them. He filed that away for later, just in case.

They still took frequent stops and rests to ease the women's pain, but they were traveling a bit faster than last night. The socks and shoes they managed to scavenge from Damien's camp were a big help to their mobility, and they were slowly beginning to heal. Of course, Law wasn't sure if they'd reach the town by that evening or not at the pace they were going, but he hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

As it turned out, they must have been further East to start out with than Law had originally estimated, because they arrived abruptly upon the town in the late afternoon. They'd started seeing signs of a higher populated area nearby based on the slow trickle of zombies that began barring their way. These were easily dispatched with Law's sword or Shachi and Penguin's knives.

"I'll scout out ahead and see if I can find someplace safe." Shachi offered, and Penguin was quick to cut in.

"I'll go too."

Law nodded, happy that they would have each other's backs. With that, the two men tromped off towards the town while the rest of the group stayed inside the line of trees that marked the edge of the forest.

One of the women spoke up and turned to Law directly. "Are we going to build up another compound like Woodsfield?"

He shrugged. "If that's what you guys decide. My group will be leaving once we have you in a safe place."

That seemed to stop them short, and they all looked at him incredulously. "Wait, you're just leaving us here?" Another questioned sharply. "How are we supposed to protect ourselves? Or find food?"

"You can't just abandon us!"

A few of the women both spoke up at once in anger, but Lexi stood and held out her hands in a placating gesture. "Guys, we'll work out the rest once we find a secure place to stay. I'm sure the city will have-"

"I don't want to stay anywhere that you'll be." A long-haired blonde woman said with crossed arms. She looked guilty, but stuck to her guns anyway. "You brought those men straight to Woodsfield. Who knows what other dangers you'll bring with you?"

Law could tell that Lexi was affronted, but tried her best to hide it. "I didn't-"

"I agree. The rest of us wouldn't feel safe with you around." Another chimed in, openly glaring at the brunette with spite. "Everyone we knew is dead because of you."

The women all looked at her accusingly, and she stepped back a pace. The shame was evident on her face, but Law felt he'd heard enough. Stepping slightly in front of her, in a sort of protective fashion he had to admit, he crossed his arms. "Yes, my group is leaving once you are settled. That doesn't mean we won't give you supplies to survive awhile on your own." He gestured towards his bag. "Damien's group had a fair amount of provisions, and I was able to grab a few extra weapons at Woodsfield, so we'll split the haul and go our separate ways."

"How are we supposed to survive? I've been a gardener this whole time. I'm not a scavenger!" The blonde woman said petulantly.

"I was part of the scavenging team." One stepped forward with a determined look. "I can teach them what I know."

The blonde snarled. "We aren't experienced enough to handle something like this, Syndy. We'll all be killed."

The black-haired woman, who Law assumed was Syndy, gestured towards the forest angrily. Law supposed he should have spent more time learning other people's names while at the camp. Oh well. "Look around us! There's no big group we can count on for protection, Karen. It's just us, and that's all it'll be. This world is dangerous and unless we suck up to the fact that we have to rely on ourselves to stay alive, we'll all be dead!"

Law watched the two aggressive women with restrained impatience. They were growing rather loud, which could attract any number of undead from the city. He kept an eye on the tree line just in case, but he hoped they would settle their argument soon. Either way, he couldn't be convinced to stay and form a group with them. Syndy seemed to have grasped that concept.

Karen shook her head with a scoff after several seconds of facing the other woman down, and she threw up her hands in exasperation. "This is outrageous. You go through all of this trouble to rescue us, then just dump us off at the nearest town."

Law rolled his eyes but said nothing. Part of him wanted to point out that he'd only rescued them for Lexi's sake, but thought better of it. The last thing he wanted was an angry mob of women out to get him. Thankfully he was spared having to say anything more because the groaning of a zombie approaching them caught his attention. Unconcerned, he strode up to it and unsheathed his sword. With a lazy yet powerful flick of his finger, the zombie's head was sliced off from it's neck and it collapsed into the grass and dirt.

"If you wouldn't mind keeping it down?" He said nonchalantly, pulling out a rag to clean off the blade. "I don't want a horde converging on us here."

That seemed to shut them up nicely, though he could see Karen and Syndy whispering between themselves and the others. Law shook his head to himself and stepped a few paces away to sit on a tree trunk. Unsurprisingly, Lexi followed after him, taking up the one right beside him.

"Seems they don't like you very much." He commented bluntly. The brunette sighed heavily, slumping her shoulders.

"Yeah…I don't really blame them…" Came her disheartened reply. Law nudged her with an elbow, causing her to look up at him.

"Don't. There was nothing you could have done to prevent any of this, you know."

Lexi shot him an unconvinced half-smile, but shook her head silently. He nudged her again, this time a little harder.

"Really. Enough with that." He leaned back and smoothed over his hair with one hand. The long days of walking were beginning to wear him out. Lexi sighed and wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them closer to her.

"I don't really know where I'll go from here, to be honest. I knew they hated me this whole time but I didn't think it was that bad." She paused before looking up at the sky. The trees were far enough apart to be able to see the clouds this time. "I might have to bother you for a knife or two, and maybe some food. I'll be out of your way after that. See what I can scavenge in town before the others get to it."

Law was silent for a moment, but right as he went to talk she spoke again, shaking her head ruefully. "My stupidity got me into this whole mess, so maybe I deserve the shunning."

He cocked his head, eyes still sweeping the area for any sign of zombies. "How _did_ you end up with Damien's group anyway?"

She sighed again. "I got careless. Holed up in a house one night, but I got a bit too comfortable. Damien's men broke in in the middle of the night without me knowing. I never heard anything." She gestured in front of her dismissively. "One minute I'm out like a light, and the next I've got three men with their hands all over me.

"After that, they dragged me to the compound and put that damn collar on me." Law saw her visibly shudder. "I'm just glad I'm never going back there again."

"How many others were there?"

"Damien's group could've been as big as sixty guys maybe. As far as the women, maybe thirty or forty. It was hard to tell…so many of were killed or taken away with men that I couldn't keep track."

Law hesitated, wanting to ask what exactly had been done to them, but he wasn't sure if she were ready or willing to answer. Lexi looked over at him expectantly, seeing the conflicted emotions on his face and nodded slowly. It seemed she could read his mind.

"I'll spare you the question. They strip you naked when they find you to see if you're worth their time. Usually you're paired up with a man and they become your 'owner.'" Her eyes looked down at the ground, feeling slightly ashamed for some reason. "And yes, they raped the women they brought in. I was one of the few lucky ones though. All they did to me was touch me."

Law always didn't believe that, but he wasn't going to push the issue.

Both of them fell silent. Lexi couldn't help the images of her experience at Damien's camp flashing through her head. Law wondered what he could possibly say to the explanation. He'd had an idea of what went down when Lexi had first been brought into Woodsfield, but hearing it explained out loud like this was a bit more sobering. To think that she'd gone through all that for an indeterminate amount of time was awful.

He looked over and was surprised to see tears sliding down her cheeks. Well, he wasn't all that surprised, but he hadn't anticipated it was all.

"Come with us." He blurted out before really thinking, watching as she quickly looked at him.

"What?"

He shrugged, nodding towards the town where Shachi and Penguin were currently scouting. "I know you said you don't do well in groups, and maybe after all of this you might want to stay away from men for awhile. I'd understand either way. We'll give you some provisions and weapons to help you get back on your feet if that's what you'd like to do."

He flashed her a small grin. "But with all the times we keep meeting up over this past year, I figured we might as well stick together. Each of us consider you a friend. You'd be welcome with us."

Her eyes had gone wide when he'd explained it out. After a moment she turned to look towards the women who were still muttering between themselves. None of them appeared to even be looking in their direction. Law felt a little guilty for making her uncomfortable and rushed to remedy that.

"You don't have to give me an answer right now-"

"Yes, I'll go with you."

Her immediate answer stopped him short, and she chuckled.

"I'm honestly tired of being alone all the time. It's lonely, and as all of this has clearly pointed out, I can't always count on myself to watch my own back. It's safer this way, when I really think about it. Plus, you three are the ones I trust most out of everyone alive today."

Law nodded in understanding, relieved that she'd accepted. All of this work to save her hadn't been for nothing, though even if she refused, he supposed he'd still be happy knowing she was still alive. He sighed mockingly. "Good. Now I can stop hearing Shachi and Penguin worry about you all the time."

She smiled with a small laugh. "Aww, they worried about me? How sweet."

They laughed quietly between themselves for a moment, both satisfied with how things had turned out. Another few minutes went by in companionable silence, until they all heard the approach of Shachi and Penguin. They all stood to greet them, seeing that their clothes looked a little blood stained from the zombies they'd had to kill. It was a dark blackish color from decomposition.

Shachi pointed a thumb behind them. "We were able to clear out a few apartments on the edge of town. They should be relatively safe for the time being."

"We'll bring you guys there." Penguin gestured for them to follow, and everyone did so eagerly.

* * *

 

They were able to relocate the group of women without too much trouble. Zombies still blocked their path, but Law's group easily dispatched them. Just as Shachi had said, the apartments were on the edge of the town, making them easier to get to. The unarmed women hurried along as fast as they could, eager to get out of the dangerous streets and into their new safe haven.

The fire escape once again came in handy, and one by one the group scrambled up as fast as they could to the third floor, where Penguin was holding the window open for them. Law and Lexi, who'd been given a knife when she'd bemoaned not being able to help, were defending the alleyway below. This far away from the main town, there weren't too many of the undead to worry about but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Once everyone was up the ladder, Law and Lexi followed after. They all piled into the room and examined the surroundings. It was pretty small with all of them inside, but for only four women it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"There's another cleared out apartment next door. If you want, you can split the rooms between yourselves." Penguin explained, placing his bag on the bed. Opening it revealed cans of food and bottles of water inside. The sight put the women a little more at ease after that, seeing that they wouldn't be abandoned with nothing to their name.

Law opened his bag and pulled out a few of the guns that had come from the armory in Woodsfield. He gave them to Syndy, who looked the least likely to turn on them suddenly and rob them for their half of the supplies. She nodded in appreciation, inspecting the weapons critically for damage or wear.

Shachi and Penguin divided up the supplies evenly. It was easy, considering both groups had four members each. Any odd numbers went to the women, as Law felt they'd be in need of it more.

In the meantime, Karen looked through the drawers of the bedroom they were in, relieved to see it contained women's clothing. "We can change into something a bit more comfortable now." She'd said to the others, ushering them over to see if anything would fit.

Law spotted Lexi move to join them but stopped after the first step. He raised a brow, wondering why she didn't want to find more appropriate clothing for her size. She looked away and crossed her arms, waiting for the boys to finish sorting the supplies.

Finished dividing up the weapons between the groups, Law checked in the other bedroom of the apartment, happy to find that it too had belonged to a woman. He rummaged through the drawers, only feeling slightly creepy at doing so, and found a few things that might fit the brunette a bit better. He didn't know her exact size, but surely one of these had to fit better than the mangy and baggy shirt and pants she currently sported.

Returning to the group, he saw that Shachi and Penguin were zipping up their bags and slinging them over their shoulders. Looks like it was time to go. Syndy approached him, holding a pair or clothes in her arms. She still had that stern gaze she'd had before.

"Hey, Law. I wanted to thank you. I know you probably didn't go out of your way just to rescue _us_ , right?" She whispered, then raised a brow at his surprised expression. "I mean, I've seen the way you and the girl interact. I take it she's part of your group?"

Law looked towards the brunette in question, who was staring out the window into the town. He nodded. "Yeah, she is."

"I figured. And I know it's not her fault that everything happened." Syndy looked away for a moment in shame or guilt. "I did feel that way before, but I've had some time to think. Just wanted to say I appreciate the fact that you still tracked that bastard down and killed him. I'm alive because of it. To me, it means something."

Law shrugged, unsure of how to respond. Syndy smiled then, gesturing with her head behind her. "Get on out of here. I'll make sure the ladies survive. You can count on me."

For hardly knowing her, he was willing to believe the promise. Besides, he was itching to leave already. Giving her a last nod in thanks, he stepped past Syndy and approached the two mechanics. "Ready?" He asked them, and they nodded in response. Catching Lexi's eye, she nodded as well, a smile forming on her lips. "Then let's go."

* * *

 

"It's awesome that you decided to join us, Lexi." Shachi said as he walked beside her on the empty highway. They still had a few hours left of daylight and the map indicated a small town further up the road. Law wanted to put distance between himself and the female group, not trusting them to _not_ come after them to take the rest of the supplies. 

Penguin nodded in agreement. "You sort of owed us for saving your life anyway."

Lexi raised a brow, giving him a perplexed look. "I thought Law said you weren't keeping count, and that you did it out of the goodness of your hearts for a friend?"

"Pssh, whatever. Law can say all he wants." The redhead waved his hand dismissively. "Penguin and I don't ever forget a debt."

Grinning despite herself, Lexi glanced between the both of them. She caught Penguin's wink and laughed. "Really?"

"Nope!" Penguin replied with confidence. "For example, I still hate this kid named Patrick in my sixth grade class because he-"

"Does she really need to hear this story?" Law interrupted impatiently from ahead of them. The leader didn't even bother turning back to chastise them. "Honestly, I've heard this hundreds of times."

"Yeah, but she hasn't." Penguin justified.

This time he did look back at them, his face stricken. "Is that entirely a bad thing, though?"

Lexi laughed and shifted the bag on her shoulder. This feeling of acceptance was refreshing. And the camaraderie present between the three friends was something she'd missed while traveling. Perhaps this was the best decision she could have made. "Well, now I'm curious. Let's hear it."


	27. Part of the Group

It was easy to forget that the world had ended when you were deep into the countryside. The eastern states had huge forests and miles of wilderness in between cities. It was easy to get lost if you weren't paying attention. Or, if you had no destination in mind and were just wandering aimlessly as you went.

Lexi didn't mind all that much. Eyes traveling along the river that flowed at the end of the valley, she took in the warmth of midmorning and breathed deeply. Hunger pains were a constant, almost forgettable if you were used to them like she was. You were always hungry, no matter what.

The sounds of chirping birds caught her attention and she followed the path of one as it flittering across the sky above them. When it was out of sight, she lowered her gaze back to the long, empty highway they'd been traveling. Every so often a rusted car was parked along the side or sideways in the middle of the road. They searched those they passed and continue on. The road had been cutting through the meadows for several miles now, the forest long behind them.

Shachi and Penguin had been conversing in hushed tones while they traveled, just loud enough for them to hear, but not so loud as to catch every word. Lexi shook her head with a tiny smile. She'd never met someone who could carry on discussions for as long as they could, days at a time, all day long. Back before society collapsed, she was sure there were a few people she could name who could, but now? Finding things to talk about became a bit more difficult. She commended their ability to do so.

Their voices were right at the edge of her hearing, the both of them walking in front of her. Leading directly in front of them was Law who'd been quiet most of the morning. Lexi hung at the back, as usual, observing and listening for any directions from her companions. Plus, making up the back end had some benefits. It gave her time to think about things and what not without being asked if anything was wrong.

She'd been traveling with the boys for a little over a week now, and Lexi found it surprisingly difficult to fit in with the group's dynamic. Not that there were any strict rules they had created, but simply because of her social awkwardness that had been present since she were little. In fact, each of them had been as welcoming and polite as possible to help her feel comfortable. Only Lexi's inability to really gauge where she fit into a group had come up to bite her in the ass again, and she wondered not for the first time if she'd truly made the right decision joining them.

Sighing to herself, she admitted that yes, it probably was the right decision. She was just terrible at fitting in. Her fear of becoming more trouble than she was worth had quickly taken the reigns on most of her decisions. Still, there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Something Shachi and Penguin said caught her eye. Some shift in their voice tone, perhaps, and she noticed them both looking at her when she finally glanced up.

"Hmm? What?" Lexi asked, confused.

"I asked how old you were?" Shachi waited expectantly.

"Oh, I'm 23…I think. Maybe 24 depending on what the date is." She replied with a smile. "It's kind of impossible to keep track of time."

"Well, when's your birthday?"

"July 5th."

Penguin scratched his head, eyes far away in thought. "Hmm, not sure. I don't know what month it is either."

Unexpectedly, Law joined in on the conversation. "Best guess is sometime in April. Maybe May."

"Have you been keeping track?" Penguin looked back towards their leader, watching as he pulled out a notebook from his pack and held it up. It contained dozens and dozens of tally marks separated by boxes.

"Trying to. Not sure what use it'll be, but better to have it than to lose it completely." He shrugged and put it back where it came from. "From what I've been able to track it's been about 2 years since the world ended."

That sobering thought brought a heavy silence among the group. Lexi couldn't help but think back to the way things used to be. They'd still have electricity, and easily accessible food. Vehicles, water, plumbing, air conditioning and heaters. She missed them all. Not to mention, the safety. Or the people.

Lexi missed her grandmother. The brunette supposed it was a blessing that Nana had passed away in peace before the zombie apocalypse came about. Lexi hadn't had to kill her herself, something she didn't think she'd have the guts to do when it all came down to it.

And she missed her best friend, but…well, best to leave that one alone.

In front of her Penguin yawned deeply, reaching into his pack for one of the water bottles. Before her eyes, he uncapped the lid and gave himself a few sips.

"Yo, save some for later. We only have so much." Shachi complained, lightly pushing his friend in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah. It was just a couple sips. Calm down." Even so, he secured the cap again. Lexi eyed the bottle with a wince, swallowing more out of instinct than the desire to. Her throat was parched but she didn't want to say anything. It was true, water was the most precious resource they had, and there wasn't an unlimited supply.

 _Best not to get greedy._ Nodding minutely to herself, she adjusted the backpack on her shoulders into a better spot and continued walking, telling herself she could have water once they stopped to take a rest. The last thing she wanted to do was come across as too needy or wasteful by asking for food and water too frequently.

Her gaze refocused in front of her, and she realized she'd caught Law's eye. He must have glanced back at them after Shachi mentioned rationing the water. Lexi gave a small smile, trying to reassure him that she was alright.

"You good?" He questioned, a strange expression on his face.

Raising a brow, not sure why he was asking, she nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Looks clear for miles back there." She said, sticking a thumb out behind her. It was true, Lexi liked to keep a watch on their back, just in case. You never knew when you'd be ambushed.

After a moment, Law nodded and turned to face forward again. The mechanics had continued their conversation after that, gesturing with their hands as they talked. Lexi couldn't hear this conversation, so she let her gaze wander again. It was a rare moment in which, besides her thirst and ever-present hunger, Lexi felt safe and comfortable.

* * *

 

"Alright, let's stop and rest for awhile. We've been walking all morning."

Law shrugged off his pack and placed it on the table under the rest stop's gazebo. They'd come across the highway pull off and Law felt that it was as good a place as any to take a break. There was nothing for miles around, and they'd be alert for any zombie that may possibly be out here.

After all day of carrying their supplies, his shoulders were beginning to ache. He rolled them around the socket as the others nodded and followed his lead. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lexi sigh out of relief before slumping down on the bench further away. Hmm.

"Oh, sweet, an actual bathroom." Shachi pointed towards the small stone building further down where the restrooms were. "I'll be back in a sec."

"I'm coming with!" Penguin called, jogging to catch up with him. The two friends disappeared behind the men's restroom door, leaving Law alone with their only female companion.

Lexi had only been with them a week, and things were going well. Perhaps _too_ well, Law thought to himself. They'd traveled a random path, hopping a town over simply because it was closest. Zombies had been few and far between. There was a lot of walking involved, and he'd been impressed Lexi never complained about taking watches at night, or roughing it up out in the wild. No doubt she was accustomed to traveling hard and unconventionally, like the rest of them.

However, he couldn't recall a single time in which she had asked for help on anything. No requests to stop and rest, or help setting up her tent, or to use the bathroom behind a tree, or even to have a drink of water when she was thirsty. The only time she received anything from them was when they offered it first.

Not to mention, she stuck mainly to herself. Shachi and Penguin had always, in his experience, done most of the talking, but the doctor had expected her to at least add something to the conversations. Most of the time the brunette kept silent except when they addressed her directly. Law wondered why that was, then came to the conclusion that she was probably still unused to having them around. Or maybe her experiences with Damien's camp were beginning to show through and make her uncomfortable.

Not wanting her to regret her decision, he approached where she was seated.

"Hey."

Her green eyes looked up at him, and she smiled softly. "Hey, what's up?"

"Just checking in, seeing how you're feeling." He said with a shrug, tilting his head to the side. "I haven't really asked you since you joined."

A flicker of surprise passed across her eyes, but it was gone in an instant. She responded with a shrug. "Things are fine. Shachi and Penguin are being nice to me if that's what you meant."

"Not quite. I've noticed you don't really say too much most of the time. You keep to yourself at the back." He figured he'd hit one nail on the head, seeing the understanding and shame reappear in her expression. His arms crossed his chest. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Oh…yeah, I suppose I have been…" She scratched the back of her head sheepishly. Law was at least thankful that she was honest about it. "I don't know, exactly. I guess I just don't know what to say most of the time."

"Just say what you feel. As much as I tune out their talking," he gestured with a thumb to the restrooms, "no one minds if you participate in a conversation, you know."

"Yeah…" She muttered, looking away in embarrassment before chuckling and meeting his eyes. "I'm just not accustomed to having so many people around all the time, or being talked to. Haven't quite gotten used to the feeling of it yet. I'm sure I'll get there eventually."

Law nodded slowly in understanding, finally putting the pieces together. She'd been a lone wolf for so long, it made sense. "I can imagine. I'm sure if I didn't have Shachi and Penguin around, I'd be the same way. Just keep in mind that you're as much a part of the group as we are."

Lexi smiled up at him and Law couldn't help but do the same. It was certainly infectious. But before either of them could say anything else, the two other people of their group emerged from the bathroom.

"God, it smells disgusting in there!" Shachi complained, making a face. Penguin was right behind him in a similar state.

Leaning back against the table, Lexi laughed, then thought about what Law had said. He was right. She had been quiet for such a long time, but Lexi wanted to get to know them all a bit better. "Well, it's been a few years since anyone cleaned those things out. What did you expect?"

"Something a little less repulsive than that!" Penguin admitted with a few coughs to rid his mouth of the awful stench. Thankfully the stench hadn't lingered on his person.

"Well, we aren't staying long." Law assured, shooting Lexi an amused glance. "I want to get to the next town before the end of the day. Shouldn't take too much longer, but I don't want to get caught out here in the middle of the night."

"Sounds good to me." With that, Shachi and Penguin snapped up their packs and checked their shoes to be sure the laces hadn't come untied. Lexi followed suit, ready to leave at a moment's notice.

Law waited until they were all ready, then set off in the same direction they'd been following all morning.


End file.
